Final Draft!

Dear College-Bound Senior,

Transitioning from high school to college can be very overwhelming, awfully stressful and incredibly hectic, but still really exciting. There are countless things that you should know as an incoming college freshman to make this whole crazy process much easier. I really wish I could tell you everything I know, but this paper would be too long! Instead, I will tell you about what I think are three of the most significant things you should know as a college-bound student.You should definitely find out where to go for your classes so you won’t be lost and confused when the big day arrives. Once you're actually in college you should get involved in activities and organizations. You will meet tons of new people and have oodles of fun. The most important thing of course is to be responsible! Responsibility is the key to be successful as a college student.

It’s essential to know where everything is located before your first day of class. Once you go to orientation and receive your schedule, you’ll find out where most of your classes will be. After you move in you should use your spare time before classes start to walk around campus and find the buildings where your classes will be held. If you know exactly which classroom you’ll be in, find it so you’ll know precisely where to go on the first day of class. That way, you will already know how to get there and approximately how long it will take to arrive. This will save you time so you won’t be “accidentally” late to your first class. Being on time will help you understand the requirements for that specific class. Usually the professor will go over the syllabus on the first day, but he or she will also talk about things that are not found on the syllabus, so it’s extremely important that you show up!

Getting involved in clubs and organizations is a great way to meet new people who share your same interests. If you’ve never tried something before, now is the time to learn something new. College is all about new experiences, so take advantage of the endless opportunities you’ll have. You could learn what might become your new passion while being surrounded by awesome people who want to help you. Being involved helps you find new friends, some that might be totally different from your high school friends. It’s always good to meet new people; it doesn’t hurt to learn more about diversity. In high school, you could pretty much be involved in everything but in college you have much more work so limit yourself to what you know you’ll have time for. If you know you won’t have time for something, choose your top two or three choices, that way you’ll still have plenty of time to focus on academic work.

Last but definitely not least, you have to be responsible, be responsible, and be responsible! I know you hear this all the time from everyone but seriously in order to do great in school you have to go to class. It’s that simple. It’s so easy to be tempted to sleep in a little late or do something else that might seem more enjoyable, but class is where all the learning takes place. Not going to class is not only a waste of important learning time, but also a waste of your money. You’re paying for it (or your parents are) so don’t throw valuable money away! Surely you’ve heard that professors really don’t care if you show up to class or not, but some count attendance as part of your grade. In a bunch of my classes, attendance counts as a major part of my final grade. Some count attendance as bonus points for class. Even if you’re running late, go to class anyway. You’ll understand the work much better if you’re there in person. It’s better to show up late than to not show up at all.

College is so different from high school. It takes a while to adjust, but once you’ve set a good routine you’ll do great. Be prepared and know where to go on the first day, get involved, and be responsible in everything you do. I hope these three things I told you about help you once you graduate from high school and continue into college. Remember that it’s all up to you. No one will force you to do anything so you have to motivate yourself to do what’s necessary to have a fun and successful year. Your first year is especially important; it’s not only the beginning of your college career, but also the beginning of your completely new and wonderfully independent life. Follow these tips and make that first year amazing!

Sincerely,
Isela Gonzalez
Class of 2009