Some Things Will Never Stay The Same
Sam Larsen
Staff Writer
The ideas and dreams a teenager has in high school do not always going to be the same when upon graduation and the new adult going off to college and enters the real world. Education is going to change. Relationships with family and friends, jobs, living arrangements and lifestyles change.
But hopefully, all will change for the better.
Nick Weismann, a 2012 Waverly alumni, is now a sophomore at University of Nebraska Lincoln. In high school, his heart was set on athletic training. He was involved in athletic training throughout his high school career. His other hobbies included soccer, volleyball and marching and concert band. He dedicated much of his time to athletic training when he wasn’t playing soccer or during marching band season.
Once enrolled at UNL, he pursued his dream of athletic training but after a semester of athletic training 101, he realized it wasn’t for him.He switched his major to advertising and public relations.
“I switched because my mom owns her own marketing business and said I would be good at it,” Weismann said, “and momma knows best.”
Other than studying advertising and public relations, he participates in intramural soccer, volleyball and made the Husker Men’s Club volleyball team. Although changing his major was a big change, he still has some of the same hobbies. He still plays intramural volleyball and soccer. The shift from high school to college changes a students perspective. It helps them see things differently than they used to.
“I wish I had taken high school a little more seriously,” Weismann said.
Putting forth effort is a necessity in college, but too much effort can cause stress and disinterest. First year college students need to take the weekend off studying to prevent becoming burned out and overwhelmed with the homework they are given by their professors. “Don’t forget to have fun. It’s college, go out on the weekends, you need to give yourself a break,” Weismann said.
Getting involved with intramurals and other clubs gives students a chance to meet new people and make friends. A high schoolers friendships won’t always stay the same throughout the time they go off to college. They are unable to see one another everyday which makes it inconvenient.
“Once you don’t see them [high school friends] all the time you really find out of you were good friends with them because you will want to hangout with them,” Weismann said. “College friends are forever though.”
In high school the friends teens hang out with are people with similar likes and dislikes. Many times they are considered cliques. There can be popular and not so popular students. However, going into college is a new beginning. People don’t care about being jocks, band geeks or art nerds in college. There are countless others in college with the same interests.
“If you were the most popular kid in high school, chances are no one cares anymore,” Weismann said.
Along with friends and school work during senior year of high school comes with great responsibility of money. Students are bombarded with scholarships, grants, loans and saving up for college. Applying for financial aid and as many scholarships and grants as possible with help greatly with paying for a college education. Saying new college students are broke most of the time is true. They are often on their own paying for housing, food and tuition. Saving during the summer and having a part time job makes it easier to save compared to spending on things that are unnecessary.
“Don’t spend money when you get it,” Weismann said, “save it for college, you’ll need it.”
Saving money and meeting new people are very important for the first year of college. Making those plans in high school and sticking to them are difficult to do when there are so many choices and so many things that influence them.
Change is a major component in a high schoolers and college students life. With the correct decision-making skills, the transition should help make their lives better for the future.
