One of the biggest jumps of your life is probably from going to school to joining a college, LUMS, for example in my case. A lot of things change when that transition from a school kid to a college student happens, and you’re on your way to slowly becoming an individual adult (whether you liked it or not).

However the change is not over yet, because you always learn new things, experience all kinds of new experiences and become a more evolved person all through college. Here are some things my first year at LUMS taught me:

You’ll start giving zero shits for quizzes

Yup, you’ll begin to realize that quizzes don’t make or break your grade. Mids and finals are rather more important and many people just choose to rather focus on those. The more important thing, however, is learning and not just scoring on the grades. However don’t completely let loose, because failing all your quizzes is not a favorable situation either.

Prepare for your friends circle to shrink a little (or a lot) 

Remember leaving for summer after freshman year and thinking to yourself, “I have found my people, my family for the next 3 years.” That was all a lie! Summer changes people and some of them get pretty weird. You’ll realize who your true friends are as you go along in college and your true friends for life will really be the ones who stick around.

You’ll have an emotional roller coaster ride

There will be ups and downs (mostly downs) and you’ll feel like shit. Initially it will be bad, you might even ugly cry in the Academic Block washrooms but you’ll come out of it stronger. There are lots of things to be emotional over too, from classes to maintaining a healthy social life, from fitting in to missing home and just about everything in between.

You’ll be thankful you’re not the one being called a “freshie” anymore

You will instantly love the fact that you aren’t the junior-most class anymore, and most of the power will be exerted on the new freshmen. It won’t necessarily be ragging but just choti khushiyan like actually calling someone freshie or even being incredibly judgmental towards them (Oh yeah, let that inner Mean Girl out).

You will become less excite-able about every new college experience

At this point you can never become as excited about life at LUMS as you were at Orientation Week. Actually you’ll be nowhere as near to it. Unless of course you’re one of those annoyingly happy and chirpy people.

A lot of your study habits will change

You thought you could study perfectly fine in your own but that just isn’t cutting it anymore. You’ll change quite a few study nooks before you achieve nirvana.

Social Awkwardness doesn’t change much

Sorry to break it to you, but no amount of interaction will change the awkwardness, in fact it only makes it worse. Yikes!

Failure won’t seem so daunting 

You’ve find your peace with not being the best. You’ll be more comfortable with working with what your best is rather than having the sole purpose of getting that A grade. Courses will become more about learning than easy grades.

You’ll get better at dealing with Zambeel and enrollment

Zambeel is a LUMS student’s nightmare. It is the online course management portal that you use to enroll courses in, drop them, check your grades and everything else. But, it does just about everything but all those things. After an initial few setbacks at enrollment you’ll pick up hacks. But be aware, you have not mastered Zambeel.

Despite the increasing pressure you’ll have even more fun after your first year

As you move to Sophomore year, you find your place in the greater LUMS community. You’ll get to do things you love. You will grow as a person and make some kick ass memories along the way.

So chill out, if you’re coming to LUMS this fall, just be prepared for a roller coaster ride because it is definitely like nothing else you’ve experienced before.

#LUMINITES4Lyf

Cover Image via: Hassan Ali

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