Gone are the days of uniforms, daily 7.30am classes and rules that make no sense! It all seems to good to be true, and I believe many high schoolers anticipate college life harbouring hopes of freedom, parties and non stop fun. Trust me, I did too. But Pre U isnt a. bed of roses my friends, so here's what to expect!
Stage 1 - Excitement and Exploration
Congrats, you're officially a college student! Finally a big boy/girl huh? Orientation, meeting new friends, wearing your own clothes, tasting the sense of independence and of course, the joy of having no annoying school bell ringing every 30 minutes or nosy prefects reminding you to go to class. It's loads of fun, but so. Extremely. Exhausting.
Why? Because you will be in college all day, into mid or late afternoon. Bye bye afternoon naps! T_T
Tip : Make sure you talk to as many people as possible during the first few weeks of college! You can never have too many friends, and they help keep loneliness at bay especially if you're away from home. If you say you're shy, I'd say this is the best time for a change! :)
Stage 2 - Routine and Reminisnce
By the second month of college, you've probably settled into a comfortable routine - what time to go for classes, where to have lunch, who you sit with during each class. Remember, the more friends you aquire intially, the easier it is to reach this stage!
However, this is also a time when you start missing your high school mates. Especially so if you were extremely attached to them. The emotional support you had for years has suddenly been robbed from you, and you're expected to build a new one among strangers. It's scary and kinda depressing when you think of it.
Tip: Don't cling to your past! Yeah, easier said than done, I know. But time will ease the process ( I started pre u in Jan, took till around May to feel truly happy with my new friends, hopefully you'll take a lot less!). What you can do is STAY BUSY. Join clubs, sports. Its a great way to take your mind off pining for old company and explore new hobbies plus, meet more new friends! Of course, call your old ones once in a while. Don't neglect them. It hurts T.T
Stage 3 - Stress, Letting go, and enjoying!
Muahaha the evil side of Pre U is here to give a nasty surprise - exams, tests, assignments, projects are here to flood your life! If you thought your stress is over after SPM, well...sorry. If you are a top achieving student or wish to be one, then I'd say the stress level in Pre U is about the same as in SPM. This varies from course to course, but generally academic courses such as A levels and Ausmat will push your noses to your books. (Ausmat 2014 student here btw :D)
Also, now you would be able to tell which of your high school friends are true and which are not. After a few months apart, how many still text or call to ask how you've been? Who are the ones who ignore your attempts to contact them and who still actively finds time to visit you? Some realizations will definitely hurt (those you thought were genuine may turn out the opposite) but some unexpectedly good friends will warm your heart. Maybe you will reach a point where you think "My happiness is not tied to them any longer. I'll find it elsewhere, anywhere. I'm a free spirit now!"
The good news to this is that now you are much closer to your new mates than before! You've been to college events together (Freshies night, movie night etc). Maybe you've even hung out or chilled with them during the weekend or after class, and shared some stories and secrets. Heck, if you're in luck you may have even found a special someome! ;) So you see... you will never be alone. Always remember that! ( saves a LOT of misery lol).
Tip: I guess it boils down to managing your time well. For studies, there are no such thing as last minte studying anymore. You either study regularly, or just don't study at all coz putting your soul into your books a night before the test ain't gonna work no more. Contrary to popular belief, studying regularly actually takes LESS work than cramming! Oh, and MAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. They are a lifesaver!
So, that's all for now. I will update another post on Pre U life when mine ends. Till then, study hard, play hard people! ^_^
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