# Does it get better in college?



## Chelsalina (Oct 15, 2014)

High school is hard enough for me, I only started a week ago and skipped 3 days. The only thing keeping me going in life is looking forward to majoring computer science in college and getting out of this anxiety-provoking high school. But looking at all these threads about college it's seems as if it's a waste of time and something that just causes massive debt... 

So tell me in your own experience, does it get better in college or is high school just the beginning?


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## iCod (Feb 17, 2015)

From all of the college threads I've read on here, the majority of users describe as either worse or equally as bad as high school. Mainly worse.


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## allthatsparkles (Mar 1, 2013)

Chelsalina said:


> High school is hard enough for me, I only started a week ago and skipped 3 days. The only thing keeping me going in life is looking forward to majoring computer science in college and getting out of this anxiety-provoking high school. But looking at all these threads about college it's seems as if it's a waste of time and something that just causes massive debt...
> 
> So tell me in your own experience, does it get better in college or is high school just the beginning?


It depends... but for me, it did. I really blossomed in college and from what I have seen of others, most people do. There are so many different types of people in college (this does depend on where you go -- I went to a fairly large university) that it's easy enough to eventually find a group of friends you can connect with.

It can be a tough transition at first, but if you're willing to put yourself out there a little bit and explore different clubs/organizations on campus, you'll usually figure out where you belong, what you're passionate about, etc.

It's definitely _not_ a waste of time.


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## meandernorth (Nov 12, 2014)

College doesn't have to be a waste of time. Like many other things in life, it can be. If you're motivated and act like it's important for your future, then college can be the stepping stone to your adult life. Life does involve a lot of hard work. A successful college experience can open doors for you.

Your grades in high school are one of the criteria that can determine what colleges accept you. I know there are days where you don't feel like going. Personally, I had a few 'Senior Cut Days." Some of those cut days were observed in advance starting in my Freshman year.

However, don't lose too much ground in high school. If your grades and standardized test results don't fully show your potential, then you might be making things harder for yourself down the road.


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## Methodical (Jul 18, 2014)

Computer science major is a good choice for a college major but future employment is never guaranteed. The good thing about programming is you can be self-taught. Honing your craft today will make your skills that much better after college, and you'll be able to demonstrate your effectiveness at job interviews. Employers want college degrees, but they also want internships, freelance work and things like that. 

College isn't a waste of time if you have a plan and know what you want to study.


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## mike285 (Aug 21, 2010)

College is what you make of it. If you're able to push yourself out of your comfort zone, meet new people, and make the most out of the classes you take, explore student organizations, it can be great. Keep in mind the people that post here likely are not making the most of their experience due to issues like social anxiety, depression, etc. I agree with allthatsparks...If I could go back to high school, I would have sought help sooner for issues I was dealing with and made a greater effort to change how I lived my life. Best of luck.


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## Imbored21 (Jun 18, 2012)

College is better than highschool, because you can avoid anxiety provoking situations a lot easier. It's just depressing as **** seeing everyone pass you in life.


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## Chelsalina (Oct 15, 2014)

iCod said:


> From all of the college threads I've read on here, the majority of users describe as either worse or equally as bad as high school. Mainly worse.


Yeah, I think it's especially difficult for people suffering from SA and those who are un-motivated but I know I'm going to try hard in college.



allthatsparkles said:


> It can be a tough transition at first, but if you're willing to put yourself out there a little bit and explore different clubs/organizations on campus, you'll usually figure out where you belong, what you're passionate about, etc.
> 
> It's definitely _not_ a waste of time.


Great to hear! Definitely raising my hopes up.



shorefog said:


> Your grades in high school are one of the criteria that can determine what colleges accept you.


True, at this rate I'm not going to be accepted to the top colleges that I want to. I'm thinking of dropping out of traditional high school and taking online high school to boost my grade up and have more time to study for the ACT's, although a disadvantage could be that my SA worsens. But it's better to risk that then going to a bad college or to no college at all. Thanks for your comment btw. :grin2:



Methodical said:


> College isn't a waste of time if you have a plan and know what you want to study.


Here's my plan for college: If I don't get accepted to the college I want with my grades in high school I'll go to community college and try to transfer to that college, easier said than done 



mike285 said:


> Keep in mind the people that post here likely are not making the most of their experience due to issues like social anxiety, depression, etc. Best of luck.


True, true. I may share a similarity of SA with these people but I also am motivated to learn. Thanks for your advice.


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## Imbored21 (Jun 18, 2012)

Oh if you're female, you're guaranteed a boyfriend in college so that's something.


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## SofaKing (May 9, 2014)

College does represent a new opportunity to start over growing and communicating your identity. There were things about me I knew I couldn't readily change about myself, but it was nice to realize that EVERYBODY was in the same boat as me. And we all got to start over.


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## Twelve Keyz (Aug 28, 2011)

depends. 

From the social side of things, it's better in that people will mostly leave you alone if you keep to yourself. Bullying is not commonplace and you won't be forced into anxiety-provoking social situations as much. But this also makes it worse in a way... It's far more difficult to make friends, especially if you go to a bigger school. It can feel very lonely and mundane after a while. You have to put in a lot more effort if you want to have a social life. However, you will find that there are many different types of people, so you have higher chances of connecting with someone. 

Academically, it's definitely more challenging than high school. I found it to be pretty overwhelming during my first year and I'm a straight-A student. I still hardly have any free time when I'm in school. You will have to work hard. It will be particularly tough if you have other responsibilities (e.g. work, living on campus). At the same time, you will have more freedom. For example, no one is gonna hunt you down if you skip class or don't do your homework. Depending on your school, you might be able to make your own schedule/timetable, which is pretty cool. 

When it comes down to it, I guess it's closer to what the "real world" is like. It's up to you to make the most out of the experience. Easier said than done.


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## Farideh (Nov 13, 2011)

It depends on which college you go to. Community college is obviously smaller than university. You hear bad things happening to students. Bad things happen everywhere. You can't avoid that, but you can learn how to face it. Learn to develop thick skin in order to survive in this world.


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## skys (Mar 14, 2014)

It depends on improving your mentality and motivation. College can still be 'anxiety-provoking', but it's more about if you are a better version of yourself compared to high school in knowing how to deal with it. So it gets better if you allow it to.


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## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

Honestly high school was way harder. In college you won't have to deal with people 7-8 straight hrs. You might only have one or two classes a day (1hr classes). Then you can head back to your dorm. Both were tough but high school was extremely brutal.


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## Grizzly1321 (Sep 8, 2015)

It all depends on you. For me, college was the time that I decided that enough was enough and that I wanted more out of life. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and the rewards have been great. That's not to say that I haven't fallen flat on my face or have had really terrible days/weeks, but overall I'm much happier than when I started because I got involved on campus.


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## InfiniteBlaze (Jan 27, 2011)

Imbored21 said:


> College is better than highschool, because you can avoid anxiety provoking situations a lot easier. It's just depressing as **** seeing everyone pass you in life.


This. Bullying is virtually nonexistent in college so you won't have to worry about that. However, if you have SA you'll have a hard time making friends so that aspect isn't any better.


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## euphoria04 (May 8, 2012)

I don't find it any easier to make friends in college than I did in high school, with SA. But its a lot easier to be a loner and fly under the radar. I don't feel ashamed or embarrassed about always being alone anymore, or even feel like people are noticing. so it's just loneliness 

It's also easier to get involved and meet people through those means, if you're the type that struggles to open up to strangers. Take advantage of that 

But that's only been my experience. I've always been horrendous at being social in a school environment especially, and some people seem to adjust well to the transition


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## Euthymia (Jul 15, 2015)

Kevin001 said:


> Honestly high school was way harder. In college you won't have to deal with people 7-8 straight hrs. You might only have one or two classes a day (1hr classes). Then you can head back to your dorm. Both were tough but high school was extremely brutal.


Pretty much this.

High School is the worst time in your life for anyone who has SA.

In college you can really do whatever you want. Whether that be staying in your dorm all day long or leaving class early.


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## apx24 (Jan 31, 2012)

InfiniteBlaze said:


> This. Bullying is virtually nonexistent in college so you won't have to worry about that. However, if you have SA you'll have a hard time making friends so that aspect isn't any better.


I was one of the really unlucky ones, because I was bullied at university for a short while.


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