Professors share what they wish their students knew about college

BY LINDSAY HUGHES

Art Director

This is an idea I’m sure you’ve all heard in one form or fashion, but no one talks about the other aspects of college: classes, homework, projects, loneliness, fear of missing out, not knowing how to transition from high school and so, so much more.

College can be scary, and that’s okay. You are allowed to be scared. Walking onto a huge campus with professors you’ve never met, being bombarded with emails from every college organization you could think of, having to live with people you likely don’t know. All of these aspects of college can be absolutely terrifying as a freshman.

What many new college students don’t understand right out of the gate is that your professors and faculty truly want you to succeed. They want nothing more than to see you not just survive your college years but thrive during them.

I’m sure just about every new student coming from high school has probably heard the phrase “That’s not going to fly in college.” After talking to many college students, I have started to realize that this phrase scared many of us into thinking college professors were scary, mean, overly strict or unwilling to work with students.

At Tarleton State University, that is not the case at all.

Kirk Wise, a senior communications professor at Tarleton, emphasized the importance of asking questions, being honest with your professors and using class time to your advantage. 

“I wish they knew it was OK to ask questions,” Wise said. “I’ve had some students say that they are told in high school that college professors are really hard and really strict.”

Professors want their students to ask questions, speak up when they don’t understand, and most importantly, not to be afraid of them.

Lisa Mapes, a psychology instructor, was open about the several things she wished incoming freshmen knew about college and was especially enthusiastic about the student experience and how important viewing your professors and peers as a team is.

“You are part of a cohort, you are going to be going through these classes together as a cohort. If they will come to faculty, faculty can get them plugged in.” Mapes said.

Another huge part of college that many new students tend to overlook is the fact that they have come with the intention of getting a degree and learning new things to achieve that goal. That doesn’t mean you’ll be good at every class you take, even if you were in high school. 

“I think a lot of freshmen don’t understand that it's okay to not make a 100,” Mapes said. “I want them to grow through the progress; it’s progression. I’m expecting you to make mistakes so that you can grow. I’m always expecting growth, not perfection. I’m not expecting excellence because I’m not excellent, I’m not perfect.”

Austin Lewter is another longtime Tarleton professor who teaches journalism classes. He stresses the importance of attendance, communication and responsibility in college.

Coming from a world where teachers and parents guide your everyday decisions and stepping into one where you have much more freedom can be daunting, and some students don’t always handle it in the best ways.

“I wish students understood the importance of coming to class. Showing up is half the battle. I also wish they knew the importance of communication,” Lewter said, “We can work through any problems, but we have to know what those problems are.” 

College might be a time that many people figure out what they love to do, what their passions are and what the rest of their life will look like, but that should never be a stressor. Spend too much time worrying about the future and you will never truly enjoy the present. 

Taking your time and letting your passion come to you rather than anxiously trying to find it was another thing Lewter stressed. 

“A lot of students think they have to have the next four years or the next 40 years of their life figured out, and you don’t. It’s OK to slow down and take time to figure that out,” Lewter said.