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Transitioning from high school to college life at Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë looks different for every person, but there are still some general similarities in the change and the ways in which it's managed. ÌýThe biggest changes that people, including myself, experience are in academic, social and living environments.

As I started classes during my first semester at Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë, I immediately noticed that it was a lot more fast-paced than I was used to, and that the material covered ramped up in difficulty pretty quickly, with a lot of assignments due every week. ÌýAs first, it seemed really daunting and unmanageable, but there were several things I began to include into my routine to start facilitating my learning and smoothing out this transition. Every week, I began listing all the deliverables I had to complete before the following week, and then I scheduled time each day to work on them so that they'd get finished before the due date. ÌýThis helped me to start my assignments early so I could get help if needed, and be able to work through them at my own pace. To get help with concepts I didn't understand, I started going to professor office hours, where they dedicate time to help students understand content and answer homework questions. I also attended a lot of the free one-on-one tutoring sessions offered by the Student Academic Success Center(opens in new window) and studied for exams starting a week before. These four things helped me to transition from a high school academic environment to a college one.Ìý

The social change also needed managing, as it was difficult going from a place where I'd had friends since childhood, to somewhere I didn't know anyone. I branched out socially in a couple of different ways including sports, clubs and project groups. The first thing I did to expand my circle was join the women's club soccer team.

I played since I was a kid, and I knew that was something I wanted to continue to do in college. The team, which I am now the Vice President of, helped me connect with a lot of other women who also love soccer. This experience has been essential for making friends, especially ones outside of my major. Clubs are a great way to meet people who like similar things as you do, and they are a fantastic way to open your social circle, especially when starting college.Ìý

I also used my course projects as a way to meet people. When asked to get into groups to do projects for certain classes such as my mechanical design classes, I opted to create a group not only with someone I already knew, but also with a couple of new people. I got to work with new mechanical engineering peers every tine, and got to know our class a bit better; it worked out very well each time. This is something I still do now-in my third year here at Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë - and I continue to meet cool new people I wouldn't have spoken to otherwise! The social transition is definitely one that a lot of people, myself included, feel anxious about, but branching out in these ways makes it a far better experience.

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Now, for maybe the most obvious one: the change in living situation. Going from being with my family in California, in a town I've known since childhood, to a housing community with housemates I didn't know and in a city I didn't know was stressful. But once again, there were things that helped me facilitate this transition. The three most impactful ones were my roommate and suitmate relationships, my exploration of Pittsburgh and my continued connection with people back home. My roommate and I found each other on Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë's matching page for housing a couple months before school started, and we have been friends ever since. As someone with sisters, it was really nice to have both my roommate and suitemate to talk to and do everything with. We bonded during orientation week, and from there we've spent countless hours studying together and going out around Pittsburgh to shop or get coffee. ÌýGetting to know people in your housing community is really important as it leads to many friendships.Ìý

I've also spent a good deal of time getting to know Pittsburgh, as I am calling it one of my homes until I graduate. Going to all the free museums, visiting the botanical gradens and parks, and exploring different neighborhoods and their food or shopping has made me love where I live. I also put in effort to maintain my connections back home with my parents, siblings and friends. When transitioning to college, it was important for me, as it is for a lof of other students, to have the support of my home-people, as they know me best. My family and I call frequently to talk about our different activities or events, and I stay in contact with my friends over messages. Having not only the support of your new friends in college, but also your family and friends back home, makes the living experience change a lot less difficult.

All in all, transitioning from high school to college at Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë can definitely be stressful and difficult at times, but there are many ways in which I have, and you can, mitigate this, and make the best of your time here!