I wanted to do a blog post referring back to my freshman year in college. I hope this post can help those going into college or are still attending. 

College is tough.

You don't know what to expect but this is a post to get you ready for a whole new chapter of your life. 

The whole point of college is to further your education and your academic career. You attend in hopes that it can provide you a better future and a satisfying job. No one told me what to expect in college. I had to go threw everything myself. So I will break it down from the very beginning. 

1. Choosing to go to a University, Cal State, or Community College. 

While going to a prestigious university sounds grand for everyone it really doesn't matter. Yes, I said it. You can graduate from the top Ivy League school and still be jobless. Like I said the whole point of attending college is to get a job in the field of your major right? Well let me tell you something. Although the percent is very high of getting a good job if you attend a good, reputable school everything is about networking. 

You can be intellectual with no communication skills. So, how are you going to get a job then? Being smart isn't always the key to a successful life. The key is being charismatic and ambitious.  To get people to be in awe when you speak. If you have great communication skills then the world is your oyster. 

So it doesn't matter what college you go to although in my opinion starting out at a Community College is better. Now, I used to think the CCs were for dumb idiots that couldn't get into any Universities. Boy was I wrong. 

2. Choosing your Major

The major that you pick in the beginning once entering college may not be the same major you graduate with. 

Upon entering college I wanted to be a Pharmacist. Then I wanted to be a nurse. Then I just wanted to get an AA. Now I can say I enjoy myself as a Marketing Major. I love it and I'm very passionate about it. It's okay to be undecided, you are not alone. 

Couple summers ago when I was still a nursing major I took a Chemistry course ( 5 weeks vs 12-15 weeks)  I sat there trying to understand what the professor was talking about and just could not retain the information given to me. I thought to myself I CAN'T BE A NURSE. 

I don't know about you but I wouldn't want a half ass nurse who barely knows her information. I can't trust someones delicate life in my hands or would I want anyone who doesn't know the prerequisites of becoming a nurse. I changed my major right then and there. It was unexpected but I changed to business. I don't know what made me but I did. ever since then I love it. 

What I'm trying to say is don't worry about not knowing but don't take too long to figure things out. I suggest if you are undecided take all your general education girl then go into what you may major in. 

3. What to Expect/ College Hacks

The summer before attending college I was so frustrated because I didn't know what to expect. I didn't have anyones help on how to register for classes, what to do when to do it. So I will lay it out for you.

• Most classes are impacted which basically means they are full. A class can only have a certain amount of student. If this happens CRASH THE CLASS. This means you go to the class the first day and ask if you can join the class. There will be people crashing the class as well. Go early and make and ADD LIST. If there is already an add list sign your name. Most professor add students by lottery, some by the add list. 
• Try to schedule your classes so they are close to each other. You'll find yourself waisting so much time if you have classes that are hours apart. 
• Take advantage of the library, tutoring center and any student services. These programs/places are put for your own good. 
• Don't worry about not getting classes. Usually in your first year of college it's quite hard to get classes especially if a campus is full. What they do is give priority to those student who have attended longer. It gets better and easier and you won't have to crash classes. 
• Students are usually to themselves. However, you should try to get the phone number of at least 2 people in your class incase you miss a day. 
• Sign up for Financial Aid. Financial aid is a program that GIVES you money to attend school. It is not a loan so you don't have to pay it back. You or your parents have to have a certain income but even if you don't qualify to receive free money you WILL get a BOG Waiver ( Board of Governor's Waiver. This only pays for your course, not your books. 
• Books, it is MUCH MUCH cheaper if you rent books online through Amazon or a book store. You really don't need the book after you're done and a book that cost 100 dollars can be rented out for only 30. Yes, there are buy backs; however, they don't really give you back a lot.
• Do not overload yourself because you want to be finished. Take classes that you can handle not what you think you can handle. Do not overload yourself, you want to get good grades and maintain a good G.P.A
• If you think that you are going to fail the course, drop it. Having a W (withdraw) on your transcript is better than having a Fail that will also bring down your GPA. While having a W is bad it's not as bad as having an F. 
• Get involved. We come back to communication. Get involve in groups and clubs. The more people you know the better the more opportunities come to you.