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40 Life Lessons That They Don’t Teach You In High School, But You Learn Immediately In College
It might look like high school and college life are separated by only a few, short, glorious summer months, but the reality is very different. The two are worlds apart! There are so many valuable life lessons that you learn almost immediately after going through the college gates that it’s remarkable. Obvious life hacks that you would never have even considered back in school.
Because both autumn and the brand new school year are upon us, here is a list of the unexpected things that people might not teach you in high school but that you learn almost instantly as a college kid. Scroll down and upvotes your favorite life tips, and write us a comment about which college rules you enjoyed the most and why. After you’re done reading this article, have a look at Bored Panda’s fun lists about all the hilarious posts about college life choices that will make you laugh, then cry, and the times broke college students proved they’re the smartest people ever.
(h/t Buzzfeed)
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People start college and university at very different times each year: some of you are already busy studying (or partying, or both), while others will start in the next few weeks. Either way, there’s some common sense advice that freshmen need to hear.
Kelly Corrigan writes in The New York Times that it’s important to know how to cook nutritious food and to have a basic working knowledge about money and saving before starting your studies.
#9
Molly Universe 6 years ago
There's literally a rule in my high school that teachers may not express political opinions. Nobody cares, though, and they do it anyway. #ExposeKidsToPolitics
Corrigan also adds that basic things like keeping your dorm room door open and saying ‘hi’ to people around campus can work wonders for your social life. What’s more, you should never be pressured into drinking if you don’t want to — playing tabletop games with a few close friends is a perfectly fine way to spend your Friday night.
#10
tuzdayschild 6 years ago
No, don't. Life will smack her upside the head. There's no need for you to do it too.
#12
But let’s not forget what college is really about — exercising your brain and growing as a person. So be sure to put in the effort during lectures and seminars: sit in front; participate; ask questions; meet with your professors; do the work; put in the effort.
But remember, there are some things that no one can tell you and that you’ll have to find out for yourself. Dear Pandas, how has your college experience been so far? What awesome, funny, and unexpected lessons did you learn there?
#16
Molly Universe 6 years ago
I don't dress up much, so when I do I get the reaction of "Why are you all dressed up?" Because I want to be!
#17
queen...<3 6 years ago
My teachers do this to me in high school lmao. They are always talking about email etiquette, and they don't use it half the time but get mad if we don't.
#19
Jill Ferguson 6 years ago
....and let’s have a Snuggie party this weekend! Who needs a toga anyway?
#20
#26
CrunChewy McSandybutt 6 years ago
I remember when they kept telling us that we won't carry calculators around with us in the real world. * holds up smartphone
#27
April Simnel 6 years ago
College in the UK=sixth form, to take A levels and uni entrance exams, right? The US doesn't have that. The closest thing to it is in New York State and is called the Regents' Exam. Otherwise, you just pass all your classes, pass those classes' final exams, get a diploma and go by age 17-18. No O-levels here. No gap years here (maybe the very rich teens do that, but it's not at all common). IF you want a uni degree, you take the SAT or the ACT during your senior year of high school (these are more comprehensive than A- or O-levels), and supposedly unis look at that score along with your grades and participation in school teams and community service. "College" in the US is synonymous with uni, usually starts at age 18, after high school, and usually lasts until age 21, when one gets a Bachelor of Arts or Science (e.g. "I have a BA in History"). Then one can go on to graduate school for a Masters or a professional degree, like for law or medicine, and then on to a PhD if one wishes.
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#30
#34
Foxxy 6 years ago (edited)
This is why Australian holidays are so much better. We have 4 terms of school. School usually starts mid to late January (depending on state) each term is approx 10 weeks and after each of the first 3 terms there is 2 weeks of holidays. Then after the fourth term there is 6 weeks of holidays from early to mid December to mid to late January. (Again depends on state, some states have a week difference).
#35
#36
Diego Cabrerizo 6 years ago
In Brazil we have to take all the classes in the course. We can't chose what to take, even if we hate it, or if it has no relevance. Sad.
#37
#41
Ann Abdelzaher 6 years ago
for sure I had a hard time transitioning to college because I have Dyslexia and am an auditory and visual learner... yeah reading the book to get the materials was hard and I had no idea what to right in my notes.
#42
AP 6 years ago
In high school the responsibility of ensuring the students learn is on the teacher. In college, where the education is paid for by the student, it is the student's responsibility. 300 students in college makes sense since they each have only themselves to be responsible for. In high school, 30 students is a lot for a single teacher to take responsibility for.
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Monika Soffronow 6 years ago
I posted this comment up above but I'll do it again. Downvoting Tiny Dynamine for knowing their country is not OK, you could have explained instead! The word "college" has different meanings in different countries, and even though this (obviously) is an American post that doesn't mean neither that everyone who reads and/or comments is American, nor that they automatically know everything about the American educational system. So-> From googling: "A two-year college offers an associate's degree, as well as certificates. A four-year college or university offers a bachelor's degree. Programs that offer these degrees are called "undergraduate" schools. A "university" is a group of schools for studies after secondary school" This must refer to the USA. "Universities typically provide undergraduate education and postgraduate education."
Monika Soffronow 6 years ago
In Spanish, 'el colegio' is referring to primary and secondary education. 'Ir al colegio" = to go to school. And in Germany, a 'Hochschule' (literal translation: high school) is a (US) college/university, the same goes for example for a Swedish 'högskola'. Knowing what a college is in one country does NOT make anyone uneducated for not knowing what it is in another. Explain instead of retorting to downvotes and namecalling, please.
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ArchiBookworm 6 years ago (edited)
Apparently this needs to be said... in America, Universities are made up of several colleges (College of Math, College of Art, etc). THEREFORE when people refer to "college students" they mean students going to University. And as for the "work level", that depends heavily on what major you go into. My major did not allow for free time or even going home on the weekend.
Monika Soffronow 6 years ago
I posted this comment up above but I'll do it again. Downvoting Tiny Dynamine for knowing their country is not OK, you could have explained instead! The word "college" has different meanings in different countries, and even though this (obviously) is an American post that doesn't mean neither that everyone who reads and/or comments is American, nor that they automatically know everything about the American educational system. So-> From googling: "A two-year college offers an associate's degree, as well as certificates. A four-year college or university offers a bachelor's degree. Programs that offer these degrees are called "undergraduate" schools. A "university" is a group of schools for studies after secondary school" This must refer to the USA. "Universities typically provide undergraduate education and postgraduate education."
Monika Soffronow 6 years ago
In Spanish, 'el colegio' is referring to primary and secondary education. 'Ir al colegio" = to go to school. And in Germany, a 'Hochschule' (literal translation: high school) is a (US) college/university, the same goes for example for a Swedish 'högskola'. Knowing what a college is in one country does NOT make anyone uneducated for not knowing what it is in another. Explain instead of retorting to downvotes and namecalling, please.
Load More Replies... ArchiBookworm 6 years ago (edited)
Apparently this needs to be said... in America, Universities are made up of several colleges (College of Math, College of Art, etc). THEREFORE when people refer to "college students" they mean students going to University. And as for the "work level", that depends heavily on what major you go into. My major did not allow for free time or even going home on the weekend.
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