Transition: Passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another.

Throughout our lives we all undergo transitions, whether its slow like the changes of age over the years, or fast like moving from your childhood home to someplace completely new. The transition from high school to college I think falls somewhere in the middle. This is something that most of us have been planning or thinking about for a while, an inevitable change that we all must endure if we want to get a degree or lead successful careers. This change does develop slowly, but then all of a sudden it’s happened. One day you’re sitting in your dorm and you realize that everything is officially, finally, irreversible changed.

I’m not trying to scare you. If anything this should be a good thing. The transition from high school to college is often a smooth one. For me it was definitely scary, especially in the weeks leading up to the move, and very much so around the time I had to decide where I would go to college. But moving in and adjusting to my new life was like a new adventure.

If I had to pick the hardest part about the change, I would have to say adapting to new study habits and work styles. Your schedule is not longer 7-3 with maybe a few hours of practice or extracurriculars after school and then homework till you pass out. Yeah I still do homework till I pass out sometimes, but I also do homework at 2 o’clock between classes, or while I eat breakfast, or lunch. At first, this concept was unthinkable. I studied at night. That was how things were, and how I thought they should stay. This of course started to backfire when I realized that my friends wanted to see me at night and I wanted to actually sleep so I could get to my 8 am the next day.

The transition from high school to college is going to be different for everyone, there is no doubt about that, but just because it’s a change doesn’t mean it has to be awful. Like anything in life it will have its ups and downs, and you’ll have good days and bad days, but by the time you get through first semester you’ll be comfortable and college life will be normal for you. So don’t be scared, be excited, and be ready for the amazing adventure ahead.

-Mere