Are you nervous about transitioning from high school to college? Well, you’re not alone! Many students get stressed about this big transition to a new school, new people, new places, and more. Luckily, I have interviewed three college students who used to attend Apex High School to give you advice on your transition. Hopefully, these tips will help you feel less stressed and help you have an amazing freshman year!

I interviewed Ella Helms first, a sophomore at North Carolina State University who graduated from Apex in 2022. Ella said, ¨The best advice I can give is always to look for new connections and friendships. It’s important to keep in contact with everyone you meet post-grad! It helps keep yourself grounded and surrounded by a community as you take a new step into whatever your next chapter is and can open doors to future job opportunities. Also, spend time with your family and hometown community before you leave in August!¨. Ella emphasizes how important it is to stay close to those you meet in college and make connections. This is because these connections can benefit you in so many ways after college, such as internships, job opportunities, and much more. These connections and friendships Ella talks about can also be a great way for you to get to know your college community and campus better. She also talks about how it’s important to spend time with your loved ones before you go. This is super important as when you go to college, especially far from home, it will be hard to see them often, which is why you should definitely try to spend as much time with them as you can before August!

Next, I interviewed Emmi Ritter, a freshman at the University of Alabama who graduated from Apex in 2023. Emmi said, ¨The one thing that helped me transition into college was meeting new friends and people. It can be scary at first going to college as you are so used to your high school friends and may not know anyone in college. But there are so many great ways to meet friends! One great way is through Greek life. This can allow you to join a fraternity or sorority and meet many wonderful people through the process. I did this, and met my best friends! Another great way to meet new people is through clubs. There are so many clubs colleges have to offer, ranging from sports to academics. You really just have to put yourself out there and be friendly to everyone, and then you can meet lifelong friends, which will make your college experience so much better!¨. Emmi explains how one thing that helped her have a great college experience was meeting close new friends. Even though the thought of a new friend group can be scary initially, it’s so good to branch out and meet new people! She also gave tons of ways you can socialize and have an opportunity to meet friends. You can really see from Emmis’s interview how much friends can make a difference in college!

Last but not least, I interviewed Lyla Thor, a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte who graduated from Apex in 2023. Lyla said, ¨The most important thing I learned to do well in college is always be prepared. College is a big change from high school, as you are very independent. It’s important to still wake up on time for class, get good sleep, and get good grades, even when you don´t live with a parent telling you to do so. It can be challenging doing all these things in college as there are many social events, parties, and more that can distract you. Of course, it’s normal to go to those places and have fun, as long as you can be responsible and balance school with it. College is one of the most important times in your life to get good grades and attend class, as it can determine your future and life opportunities.¨ Lyla emphasizes how important it is to be prepared and responsible in college. Even though college comes with many fun aspects, she explains how important it is not to get carried away in those things.  College is what determines your life and future, which is why it’s very important to try your best so you can be successful!

I hope these tips made you a little less anxious about your transition into college and hopefully gave you advice on how to do well and make it a good experience. From all those tips, you can see how making connections, making friends, and being responsible can give you a good college experience. Even though college is a big change, change doesn’t always have to be bad or scary. I wish all seniors reading this good luck on their transition into their new stage of life!