When you start your senior year of high school, you think it’s going to be the greatest time of your life. You ” ve waited thirteen years to get to this point and you ” re going to enjoy it to it’s fullest. That’s what I did. I took a bunch of the so-called “slacker classes” and then whatever else was required of me to take. I never really gave the idea of going to college much thought. I sometimes wondered what it would be like and who I would know, but I was really slow in the application process.
I finally applied for Anoka-Ramsey Community College in the winter of 2002, right before Christmas break (only because the Career Center teacher, Mrs. Erz berger, told me that would be the prime time for me to get my name on the list).
I turned in my application to the counseling office secretary, Mrs. Roth, and off I went to my other classes for the day. This was just the beginning of my long road to college.
A month after I got back from Christmas break, I got my letter from A RCC saying, “Congratulations! You ” ve been accepted to Anoka-Ramsey Community College. Please fill out the attached forms and send them to this address… .” . So, I gave the forms to my parents to look over and to fill out all the tax information. After they had sent in the forms, I got a letter back from Anoka-Ramsey saying that I had not filled out the correct information and needed to fill out another batch of forms. My parents were, nonetheless, opposed to filling out more forms.
There were so many of them to fill out. This happened three consecutive times before the college O. K.’ d me. Then came the financial aid packets. I applied for a loan, since I didn’t receive any grants or scholarships from my high school. This was also a long and drawn-out experience.
It took four months for them to process my paperwork, which affirmed the approval of my subsidized federal loan. This type of loan doesn’t actually pay for my college education, but allows me to defer my payments until six months after I graduate from college. In the end I figure I can pay off the loan myself, instead of my parents carrying the burden of another bill each month. All right, now it’s time for orientation! I didn’t know anyone at orientation. I made friends though, or at least people I could talk to so I didn’t feel so alone while touring the campus.
I registered for classes, got my ID card, toured the school grounds, got the information I needed, and then went home feeling pretty okay about starting college. I was even feeling a little excited. To my dismay, the first day of college was stressful. There were so many people around and I still didn’t know quite where I was going yet. My classes were Speech, Math, and Business.
I was so relieved when I found out that I knew people in my Speech and Business classes! A couple of people from my old high school were in my classes with me. I made a few friends in my some of my other classes that day to make sure I had someone to call in case I missed a day of class or needed information on what we did that day. I used to do this all the time when I first started high school. If I didn’t know someone, I’d make myself get to know them! I’d introduce myself as, “hi, my name’s Katie, what’s yours.” They’d first look at me funny, but then they would end up saying that they had felt the same way and were glad they now had someone to talk to in class. We exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses so we could keep in touch outside of school as well. Can’t hurt, right? The more outside homework-help, the better! The second day of class I had English and Math.
My classes are spread out through the week, so I have Math every day, English twice a week, and Business and Speech three times a week. I set up my classes so I’m never in school later than one-o’clock. I arranged my class hours like this as to accommodate a more desirable work schedule. This way I can start work at two-o’clock and get out at six-o’clock.
I then have the rest of the night to work on schoolwork, hang out with friends, or just relax and read a good book. I would recommend setting a comfortable work schedule for yourself your first year of college. It makes college homework a little more tolerable. All in all, I’d say college is a great experience to go through (even when the process is somewhat prolonged).
If you don’t try it, you ” ll never know if you would ” ve liked it or not. I know I only just started school two or three weeks ago, but from my observations it’s a pretty cool place to be.
The teachers are nice and very understanding (to an extent) and at least at my college, the campus is beautiful. We have a huge courtyard, a picnic area by the Mississippi River, a cafeteria with huge by windows, and very nice people that will help you whenever you have a question (any question).
College is the place to be if you want to further your education and make great friends. High school has too many stereotypes and too many people to go along with them.
At college, people see you for the real you and not that girl who threw-up all over the floor in the first grade. Whether you ” re planning on going to college or not, check some of them out and look into what they offer, you might just find something you ” re interested in. Who knows, you might even become a doctor someday.