To high school students, the idea of college elicits mixed feelings of excitement, fear, and anticipation. For some, attending university is a golden opportunity to prepare themselves for their career. To others, it means complete freedom, frat parties, and a chance to mingle with people you will never see again. But is there really one way to enjoy the full college experience?
Mrs. Kang recalls her college experience as a University of Oregon student: “I wasn’t very social in college. I just worked and did school! Never went to a party.” She admits that “[she] wasn’t interested in drinking, and that is the majority of what happened at parties.” She added that although a lot of parties involve drinking, it is still possible to hang out with friends without including alcohol. “Everyone’s trying to fit in and have people like them, and they think that the way to do that is go to parties. But once you find people you enjoy being with, you don’t have to go out drinking.”
Mr. Weber shared similar advice about college life as Mrs. Kang. While attending San Jose State University, Mr. Weber shared his love for writing at the school’s fiction club. To him, college was an opportunity to “be around like-minded people.” Compared to high school, college “tends to filter out people you may or may not be similar to.” He emphasized that the social aspect of college was unique because it offered an opportunity to “be close-knit, but a loose community.” Because of this, Mr. Weber regards college as “a significant part of [his] life” and encourages students to use their time in college to learn and to enjoy appealing activities with others: “I went to school for school, and I went to school for the social aspect of it.”
Ms. Kang also stressed the importance of enjoying college’s social experience, advising students not to focus too much on grades. “Once you have your degree, you’re not going to put your GPA in your resume,” she explains. She encouraged students to take exciting classes, but also emphasized the importance of having a direction once they graduate from college: “I would have a goal in mind… Don’t just choose the easy way out. No one’s going to look at your GPA, but they’re going to look at your degree.”
Mr. Weber described how he balanced prioritizing work and school, sometimes having to work seven days a week. However, because of his diligence, he was able to socialize with others, reminiscing, “I took care of that other stuff quickly enough to be able to have [school, work, and parties] be a major aspect of my life.”
Parties or not, if students decide to attend college, Ms. Kang’s and Mr. Weber’s advice is still applicable. Studying at a college does not have to be scary; it offers unique experiences, freedom, and an opportunity to meet new people. Ultimately, college is what students make of it. By balancing responsibility with independence, they can create a fulfilling and successful academic and personal experience.
