High School is the final step on the path to college. For some, it’s in a few months and for others it’s still four years away. Whether you’re a senior or a freshman, the thought about going to college is scary, exciting, and also very unknowing. One thing that we are always told is that college may be different for everyone, but it is an experience. I was lucky enough to have an interview with freshman Andres Medina who currently attends Collin College with a major in Computer Aid and Technical Drafting to get to know his experience so far as a college student.  

Q: Were you scared to go to college? If you were, why?

AM: Yeah I would say I was. It was new territory, like going to a new school just a little bit bigger and you’re on your own. 

Q: Is college a lot harder than high school?

AM: No, college is not that hard because it’s more straightforward. Compared from high school, college gives you a quality assignment and you do it rather than in high school you get a whole bunch of busywork assignments. There’s more due in high school than in college, less quantity more quality in college I think.

Q: Was it easy to transition?

AM: Easy to transition if you do it ahead of time rather than wait until the last minute like me. 

Q: Give me your experience so far. 

AM: A lot less stressful if you do everything on time, it’s more about leaving the power to do (ex. classes, major) what you want to do in a way, not all the way but in some ways. Honestly, sorry if it’s offensive but high school has classes you don’t need, at least for some specific majors. 

Q: How has it affected your social life? 

AM: Mixed bag. When you pick your classes and if you don’t pick every day, you have more free time and if your classes don’t have friends then you have to make more friends and those people may be way different from your friends in high school. I guess it has changed my social life because I’m not as close of friends as the people that I used to be. 

Q: Is there some things you miss about high school?

AM:  I miss the relationships you have with friends and you’ll notice that by the classes. Teachers too, you miss the good ones at least. Anything related to school work though, college wins that one. 

Q: What was your opinion about college in high school?

AM: I thought it was unnecessary. To me it was like a benchmark to companies I want to work for telling them that I learned this and that. I felt like college was like going into a higher level high school system where you have to pay for everything this time. 

Q: What is your opinion now about college? 

AM: It’s much better than high school and I do not miss high school. College has been a lot more fun than I would ever have thought. I do sometimes still think it’s unnecessary but then I realize that it’s a benchmark to see how much you could juggle at once and shows if you’re going to be a lazy bum or if you’re a hard worker. It may not be a desire for everyone but it’s the safest way to get a stable job and make a good living. 

Q: Are you more scared about the future now that you’re in college than you were in high school? 

AM: Here and there, it’s a normal thing to be scared about and terrified. Going to college you are definitely more aware about it than in high school. But I don’t think about it because I think that after college finding a job is like finding my school and knowing what you want to do after makes it better because you have studied it all throughout college. 

Q: Is there anything you like to add?

AM: College will suck out your bank account, books and access codes are a big con so make sure you have money ready to go. College is pretty breezy if you do it right and have morning classes because you’ll get out before a normal high school day. Make sure you get to your class early because parking is bad, at least at my college.