College: The Pros, the Cons, and What to Expect

By Karam Atli

The thought of college lingers in the back of the mind of most high school students (I can relate since I’m a sophomore getting ready to take the SAT’s next year) ; especially those of juniors and seniors. Many of you may be wondering what exactly college life is like, how it feels to be a college student, and what to expect when taking your first steps into college. So that’s why I’m here today to tell you about my experiences as a college student living the college life.

Many of you might be thinking right now, Wait a second… didn’t she just say she’s a sophomore? What does she know about college? Well, you see, I do not go to just any ordinary high school. I attend Florida Atlantic University High School. In this school, we complete all four years of high school curriculum in our freshman year on the high school campus, which is located within the A.D. Henderson school grounds. However, once we become sophomores, we officially become college students. So as a sophomore, I am studying on the Florida Atlantic University campus as an actual college student, taking actual university classes, and yes alongside actual university students which are approximately 4-5 years older than me.

So sit back, get comfortable, and take some notes as I share my experiences in college and describe to you the pros, the cons, and what to expect when you become a college freshman.

The Pros:

1.       Making your schedule: This is by far one of the best things about college. Since we started school as a child, our class schedules have been created by school administrators. However, once you become a college student, this all changes. You now wield the majestic, mystical, and unknown power to create your very own schedule.  This way you can plan your class times around your own personal schedule.

2.       Less homework: One great thing about college is that there is significantly less homework for the classes in comparison to high school. However this can be both a good thing and also a bad thing. Good thing is that you have more time on your hands. However, the bad thing is that this will provide you will less opportunity to practice and remember the skills and lessons you learned in class. Instead, you must become more responsible and manage your time well by making use of it efficiently by studying.

3.       Fewer Exams: Just like the less homework pro, this can be both a good and a bad thing. Although you will have more time between exams, these exams will mostly likely count as more, have a greater impact on your final grade in the course, and also cover more material. Therefore, make a smart use of this in-between and minimalize that partying to save time for studying.

4.       Each Course Only Lasts One Semester: This means if you have to take a course that you despise and dread, it will only last one semester, HALF the time it would usually take in high school. So hip-hip-hooray for that!

The Cons:

1. 1. Less Caring Teachers: The big difference between high school teachers and college ones is not just the name change to professor, but also the fact that college professors usually care less for individual students than high school teachers do. It’s not that they are cold-hearted; it is because of the sheer number of students they teach as a whole. Some teachers teach up to a couple thousand students per week. This makes it difficult for the professor to answer individual questions from each student that may be confused on the lesson. Instead, a better way to answer your questions may be to ask your TA (teacher’s assistant) for assistant and clarification or even on campus tutors or supplemental instruction leaders.
2. 2.       Being Absent Can Be a Big Deal: In high school, being absent for a few days when you are sick or just can’t make it, was not a big deal. You would have days to make up missed exams or homework. However, college is a whole different playing field. Missing a day or two can really create a big dent in your grade. Losing valuable in-class participation points can be like giving up an easy A. Also, there are no make-up days for exams in college. Once you miss an exam, you will indeed receive a 0. So get your flu shots and take your vitamins everyone!

My Experiences:

We FAU High students usually conceal our high school identities from both our professors and our college peers. We do this not because we want to, but because some professors and students are not comfortable with the fact that high school students are in their class. In fact, when people ask me how old I am, I do not say I am 15, instead I say I am 17.

Sometimes, when Boca High dual-enrolled students march over advertising they are high school students, the college students are bewildered and shocked. However, they do not realize that there are many other high school students (FAU High) in their class as well. We FAU High kids sometimes laugh at the thought of the college students realizing that they are surrounded by high school students.

Other than that, college life has been a wonderful experience for me, and I really do enjoy it. It provides me with more of a sense of freedom and responsibility. Transitioning into a college lifestyle was not too difficult. Once you get the hang of commuting from one side of the campus to the other, the professor’s style of teaching, and your new schedule, you will do fine.

Funny Short Story:

My Biodiversity professor poked fun at the high school students by saying that the students who receive the high grades in his class are usually in high school. He explained that when you are 15, you still have to listen to and obey your parents; however, if a college student’s parents asked them if they finished their homework, the student would just roll their eyes and stare at them like they have problems.

So now that I have given all the advice I could give in this article, I just want to say to all the high school students out there, work hard and keep up those good grades everyone! It will all be worth it once you get accepted into your dream university! 

Our Summer of Contentment

As a tribute to a summer heaving its final breaths, I've blasted Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends" on an infinite loop (much to the chagrin of my parents). But even the lilting loll of Billie Joe Armstrong does precious little to console me - the school years spells out, in no uncertain terms, the end of my capering and cavorting, the end of azure beaches and sun-kissed summer adventures.

It's the end of an era - and the advent of one, too. Cue in the speckled scan-trons, groggy morning bus rides,  and homework finished begrudgingly into the wee hours of the night. Even as I write this blog, a more responsible inner voice admonishes me, telling me my time is better spent wrestling math problems or dotting the "i's" on a research paper.

I wish I could sprinkle stardust on all my assignments and have my Pinnacle effortlessly agleam with A's. Each year seems to have a recurring theme from which I can glean something new - last year, as a freshman, I dealt with inhibitions of high school, the anonymity I felt in its hallowed hallways. Now, sophomore year has presented me with an arithmetic lesson:  seven classes' worth of homework by 180 days of school divided by six hours of sleep per day minus the square root of negative infinity plus the amount of hairs I've just pulled out of my head.

Oh, and don't forget to multiply that exponentially. That's junior year, I'm told. And that's just beyond the horizon.

Admittedly, I can't pretend to hate school for a second. I'm engaged in my classes, buoyed by the fact a free public education provides such an opportunity for intellectual galvanization. I'm determined to make the most of the 4,860,600 seconds of school wedged between me and my summer vacation.

But who's counting?

It's That Time of Year Again...

Time for lots of scares, itchy wigs, over the top costumes, and best of all, lots of candy. But the only problem is- Halloween falls on a Monday this year.

Will that hurt or help your Halloween plans? Will overprotective parents put your one night of spooks and scares to a hault? Only time will tell.

Halloween is an interesting holiday within itsself, it was origionally called "Hallow's Eve", with the word "Halloween" not appearing until the 16th century.

It's also a picky holiday for certain religious people, for example, I have a few friends whose parents don't allow them to partake in any Halloween festivities because they think it's the "Devil's Day".

Whatever your take on this scary holiday may be, I hope every one has a wonderful one, whether it entails sitting at home watching horror movies, or visiting the neighbors for a sweet treat.

Surviving High School: Report Card Blues

This is it: The last few weeks 'till the first report cards of the year, that means stress, cramming and trying to please the 'rents.

My grades are pretty good so far, I have all A's and B's, but one darn C in Biology that doesn't seen to want to go up. This has been an ongoing battle, and I can sadly say that right now, I might be losing.

It is, however, very close to becoming a B, but those gosh darn tests are weighted so heavily, and if I get a bad score on one, my whole grade will go tumbling with it.

All of this aside, my first year of high school is going smoother than I excpected. I am loving every minute of it, where as it was more or less the opposite in Middle School.

My advice for handling those last few shaky weeks before report cards, don't let that one bad grade pull you down, or else you'll be singin' the Report Card Blues.

Surviving High School: The Balancing Act

So, my first year of high school has started off with a bang.

Literally.

Iv'e gotten tons of homework right off the bat, from trying to memorize sixty-something words for AP Human Geography, to learning about the fats in our body for Biology. It's all fun and games in the class room, but once your stuck inside your room with piles of assignments due- now that's a problem.

I'm getting used to the drastic change from a rinky dink charter middle school to a hugely populated high school, but the workload I'm semi-familiar with.

Here are some of my tips for handling loads of homework, and preparing for tests and still being able to see friends on the weekend.

First of all, study every night. Even if it's only for 15 minutes, as long as you get the concept.

Get the easy stuff done first. You'll be thankful when your assigned a huge project, and you got everything else out of the way.

Make flash cards. Yes, it may seem a bit nerdy, but reading your vocab terms every night before going to bed will help you prepare for that big test.

Lastly, try to get weekend homework over with on Friday. The whole "waiting till Sunday night" thing isn't gonna cut it anymore. If you get your work over with early, it will give you more time to chill with friends for the rest of the weekend.

The end is near indeed for the class of 2012

My school year started a week later than most, so today was my first day back at North Broward. It didn't really live up to my expectations, though.

Senior year is supposed to be laid back and whatnot, but I'm really not getting that vibe as a year 2 IB student. I'm already getting tons of homework in addition to the several somewhat threatening 13-page essays I must bring myself to produce in order to receive a diploma. The SATs and ACTs I have yet to retake are lingering at the back of my mind as I face the college application process with mediocre scores and a bit of anxiety.

It's really strange. I've been looking forward to this year expecting it to be amazing. We have a few perks, like off-campus lunch privileges and the ability to wear dress code exempt sweaters, but it seems like it won't be as awesome as the class of 2011 claimed it was. Not yet, I guess.

But then again, I have yet to discover solidarity with my classmates when we realize how quickly it ends, the feeling of having some certainty in my future, and a day cold enough to wear a school pride sweater.

We'll see.

Survival Guide to Studying

I'm sure all of us have been hit with a wave of exhaustion now that we're back in school. This exhaustion is due to several things, whether it be that boring homeroom teacher or those tedious after school activities. With all that is going on now, the worst thing that we as students have to deal with is that first exam of the year and the many more to come. If you're a procrastinator like me, studying becomes pretty difficult, simply because it's so BORING! Here are a few helpful hints that have helped me to study without passing out:

1. Instead of waiting until the last minute to cram every bit of information in your brain, try studying small sections each night a week or two in advance from the exam. Not only will you spend less time studying, you will also remember more.

2. Music can also help. When we study for long periods of time, we get tired easily, causing us to pay less attention to what we're reviewing. By listening to music with a constant beat or rhythm, we can keep a steady pace studying.

3. Quizzing our peers and friends before a test can also help us to remember the material ourselves. As we talk, we also reinforce and reassure ourselves with the right information.

I'm sure these tips will make studying much easier and it may even improve grades. It will also prevent this from happening:

(This is me "studying" for an AP exam two years ago)

Happy Studying:))

Surviving Freshman Year: The First Week

Okay, so we all know that today marked the second week of school. That's a good thing. Great, in fact. That means I survived the first week of (dun dun dun...) HIGH SCHOOL.

To be truthful, I honestly wasn't nervous the last few days of summer. In fact, I was excited. I couldn't wait for the summer to be over. I started getting nervous the morning of, as I was walking to West Broward.

My middle school was really tiny. Like so tiny you could fit five of them in my school. So, as you could probably imagine, I was not used to such a HUGE atmosphere. But, I have a handful of good friends by my side, and I know this year will be great.

Back to School Savings

Back to school shopping means that summer has finally come to a close. It also means wondering if you'll get a better bang for your buck when buying school supplies, especially in this economy.
Many stores in and around South Florida (big retailers and small alike) are lowering their prices for students as they ravage store shelves for notebooks and highlighters.
Simply by Googling "Back to School Discounts" I found coveted last minute sales.
At Office Depot, lined and graph paper sold by the ream is being sold for $1.99 each.
Folders and spiral notebooks hit the shelves at $2.79 a pop.
Tissue boxes that many teachers take for extra credit are being sold at $3.99 for a pack of three boxes.
But Target also has some savings.
Bic Ballpoint pens are being sold for 99 cents for a pack of ten.
Notebook prices range from $2-3 depending on the brand.
Target also has clothing lines that are on sale for back to school shopping.
Speaking of cloths, many stores like Tilly's, Kohls, Hollister, and many more offer deals that are sure to get you back to school in style.
Always ask for discounts! Stores love to give freebies every now and then to show they are "customer oriented".
Good luck this school year my fellow South Floridians and happy hunting!!
(Prices are without sales tax)