One writer reflects on things she wishes she knew about college before starting

THERE ARE A lot of things that I wish I knew about college before I came to Fresno State. One thing that stands out most in my mind is experiencing and trying out new things in this new environment away from home.

When I first came to Fresno, I was amazed by its sheer size and what I thought were the millions of different things to do in this city, including partying of course.

I came with the preconceived notion that everybody at college was going to be studying most of the time and there would be parties every now and then. But what I quickly learned was that having a social life here is just as important as being in good academic standing with your school.

Learning to balance all of the chaos is a different story.

College, in my mind, is more than getting an education. It is about learning and redefining who you are.

This is the time in our lives when we are trying to find ourselves and have the opportunity to experience things that we otherwise would have never done.

We all came to college for one reason or another. Some came to get a higher education and to pursue a career and others for the mere fact of having something to do after high school.

Even so, it doesn’t mean we are not allowed to have a good time every now and then.

Another thing I would have liked to have known before I came to college is that credit cards can be a dangerous pitfall for college students if they are not cautious with their spending habits.

Falling into the deep and dark hole of credit card debt is a problem that can linger for years after your initial purchases made on your card.

When I got my first credit card, I tried to believe that it was only to be used in cases of an emergency, but soon began convincing myself that things like the new blouse from Express qualified as necessities.

Credit cards can be bad habits and can quickly spiral out of control. I just wished somebody had reminded me that self-control and credit cards typically do not go hand in hand.

Lastly, one more thing I wish I knew before coming to college is that while living on your own for the first time has its definite benefits, finding a roommate that you are compatible it extremely tough.

I don’t know why I didn’t think that it would be hard before, maybe it was because I didn’t realize that for the most part we are joining two or more different people that potentially have different beliefs, cultures, or ideas.

Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you might hit it off with your roommates right away. For those who do not, it becomes a struggle to enjoy going home and when you know that “personâ€? is always there, waiting to nag at you.

Overall I can say I have really enjoyed my college years at Fresno State, but if I would have known these three things before I came to college I would have felt just a little bit more prepared of what to expect.