Obviously, you know you’re attending school to further your education, but what else is involved in college life? Do classes look the same as they do in high school? What about meals and activities? Rest assured, college can be tons of fun and simultaneously a lot of work. Scheduling can look a lot different than it has for you in the past—but it’s nothing you can’t handle!
We’ve put together a handy guide to give you a little peek into what life could look like as a college student. Read on for glimpse into this new lifestyle!
Morning
1. Wake up early
One of the great things about college is that, most of the time, you get to build your own class schedule. If you can, steering clear of early classes is probably ideal, but sometimes, you simply can’t avoid them. Whether you’re a morning person or not, you’ll want to make sure you get up in plenty of time to make it to your first morning class (which could be as early as 7:00 a.m.!). Be careful not to wake your roommates, though.
2. Grab breakfast
Depending on the offerings of your particular college campus, you might have a kitchen built right into your dorm room. If so, the sky’s the limit when it comes to breakfast options. Most colleges have some sort of cafeteria or a variety of cafes. If you’re on a meal plan—which is often required of first- and second-year students—you’ll want to moderate your use of those dollars as you go throughout the year.
3. Study or Meet a Friend for Coffee
Many students often find that they study best in the mornings. Mid-morning is a great time to camp out in the library, meet up with some classmates to work on a group project, or grab a coffee with a friend. If it’s warm outside, maybe you’ll find fellow students lounging on the lawn or playing frisbee during some free time. Many Christian colleges will also have Chapel or another type of service for students to attend during this time as well.
Afternoon
4. Lunch and Classes
You might have to grab lunch on the go if you have a class right around lunchtime. If you’re lucky, you might have a professor who’s okay with you eating while he or she lectures.
If you don’t have class, you could eat lunch in the cafeteria, at a campus café, or head back to your dorm room to whip something up.
5. More Classes, More Homework (and Maybe a Nap)
To reach your 2:00 p.m. Journalism class in time, you might have to hop on the campus shuttle. Many campuses are expansive, and classes can be in different buildings that are far apart from each other.
You might end the school day with your 3:15 p.m. Shakespeare class and then make your way back to your dorm room for a little shut eye. After all, you were up pretty early this morning!
Some students might be found in common spaces or at campus coffee shops, studying, reading, or working on papers. If you find it difficult to concentrate with lots of noise and people around, however, you’ll want to study in the library or in your dorm room, so you won’t be interrupted.
Evening
6. Intramural Sports, Activities, and More
College is much more than academics, and you’ll get the opportunity to try your hand at a variety of different kinds of sports, clubs, and activities while you’re there. In the evening, you might have theatre rehearsal, jazz club practice, or a linguistics meeting. You can get involved in anything you’re interested in, and it’s healthy to try things outside your comfort zone as well.
7. Dinner, Studying, and Get-Togethers
Grab a bite with friends, study for a test, or attend a movie night with the girls down the hall. Some colleges offer night classes, so by 9:30 p.m., you might find yourself just arriving home to your dorm room. Whatever you do, make sure you get a good night’s rest so you can jump back at it in the morning!