Tips to Ease the Transition from High School to College

Wesley J. Smith
NSHSS Student Council
The Ohio State University

The transition from high school to college is usually easier said than done. In fact, it’ll probably be the most challenging event in your life as a young adult. At this stage in your life, you’re no longer worried about the useless stressors that were prominent in high school like who’s the most popular or who can make the class laugh the most. Instead, your worries are now consumed with your responsibility of creating the foundation for your life. You will be officially in charge of your life, which enables you to determine your lifestyle and your future. This is also the point in your life at which you finally realize who you are and what type of legacy you’re destined to create. The key to handling this new-found responsibility is through effective time management.

Due to the myriad opportunities and things to remember, my advice to you is simple: get a planner. I suggest a weekly planner that details your schedule by 30 minute intervals for every day. With this strategy, you’ll be able to efficiently schedule all your classes, meetings, events, and study times throughout the week. You will be more productive and organized if you follow through with it. However, a planner will not solve your issues unless you establish your priorities and stick to them! I stress this point because if you don’t accomplish it, you will be distressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted because the opportunities for you to spend your time, especially at bigger universities, are endless. There is no way that you can accept every opportunity that is presented to you. By effectively managing your time, you will be able to discover your priorities and allocate your time respectively, which is extremely rewarding. Your life will improve and you’ll start becoming great at what you’re passionate about. Another reward that comes with good time is the improvement of your health. 

Good health should be considered a top priority for college students. Because of the stress that is often caused by college and life, maintaining your health is the best thing you can do for yourself. In college, you have the perfect opportunity to choose to live healthy or unhealthy. It is ultimately up to you to choose which lifestyle you will lead. The same applies to whether or not you choose to exercise on a consistent basis. The benefits you will receive from exercising go beyond the physical advantages in that it improves your energy, health, and mindset. In fact, it has the ability to influence your mind so positively that your entire life is made better because of it. By putting your health as a top priority, the transition from high school to college will be significantly more enjoyable.

These two areas are among the most important aspects of college life and that deserve the most attention. By applying this advice to your life, your transition from high school to college will be made easier and you will stand out above the rest.