The journey through Fullerton College is quickly coming to an end for those who are nearing their last semester; those ready to take on new challenges of graduating and waiting not-so-patiently for letters of acceptance from U.C.’s and Cal States.
The past few years may have dragged on for many; but with spring graduation just around the corner, some find themselves with thoughts about what could’ve been done differently. If only they’d had prior knowledge of what the future really holds.
For those just starting their venture through Fullerton College, here are some words of wisdom.
Take chances – a lot of them. Get involved, join a club, take classes just because you think they’ll be interesting. Honestly, if it weren’t for those random classes freshman year, the journey wouldn’t have been worth the while.
So many people have the mentality of going to college just to get in and out in a flash; they go through the motions without actually taking in the atmosphere, the sights, the sounds, the vibrancy of everything. It’s community college, so you probably think there’s not much for you to do. You’re just trying to get to your next goal, your next destination – to transfer to a good university, to get the hell out of this place.
No matter how you look at it, Fullerton College will be your home for the next couple semesters. So why not take in all that it has to offer?
Go to school plays, sports events, rush a club, attend an A.S. event, spend time in the Quad and soak in the campus life.
The more you get yourself out there, the better you’ll do in school because you will be surrounded by like-minded people. Surrounding yourself with others who share your interest, your goals and your aspirations will help motivate you to do better in school. Your grades and social life will thank you for it.
Find a club or subject that interests you. If it weren’t for friendships made during those elective classes when working towards a major, the semesters would’ve seemed even longer.
Having friendships and making connections with people who are working towards the same major as you are can help you get through some tough courses and some tough professors.
You’ll have someone who is or has been in the same shoes as you and they’ll be able to help direct you on which classes to take or with whom to take those classes with. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the wise one giving advice to someone so that they don’t make the same rookie mistake that you did.
Hang out in Downtown Fullerton. Yes, it’s mostly a club/drinking scene but it’s okay to let loose sometimes. You’ll meet people you never thought you’d become friends with and in this day and age, networking can get you places. Plus, there’s some great grub and student discounts at these local eateries.
Keep your mind open when it comes to transferring. As awesome as it would be to attend the school next door, as you get older you’ll begin to realize the difference between your wants and your needs. A school that you once wanted to go to may not be on top of your list anymore by the time you’re ready to leave Fullerton College –and that’s okay.
Maybe it’s a good thing to attend an out-of-state school or a school that is just far away enough from the comforts of your parents, but close enough where you can visit when you’re feeling home sick.
Making sacrifices is also something that must be learned. Every event or party that gets passed up gets a little bit easier over time. It’s not that you’re getting old or have become boring, you’ve just learned to prioritize. To party until 4 a.m. or get some shut eye before your test Monday morning? Life is all about making sacrifices and sometimes you’ve just gotta choose your battles. Growing up doesn’t have to mean you’re getting old, it just means you’re ready to take control of your future.
The opinions of others will get old too. The more you open up your mind to learn new things, the more sure of yourself you will become. You’ll be wise enough to differentiate the bullshit that people will try to feed to you and you’ll learn to trust your instincts.
Balance is also something that is tough to do but more than worth it once you find your niche. Life is going to throw a million different things at you and how you handle them is going to be a reflection of the person you want to be.
Use your time here as an experimental journey. Try new things, fail at them and get yourself back up and try it again.
College is all about making mistakes and learning from them. Think of it this way: use Fullerton College as a place where you can slack off a little bit, just to get it all out of your system because by the time you get out of here, you’ll have a more precise idea of what you want out of life and what you want out of your college experience.
If you get most of the partying and mistakes out of your system now, you’ll be more focused for your future.
In the meantime, keep on buzzing, Hornets.
