I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this so if it isn't, could someone move it?

It's finally dawned on me that I start college in less than a week, and I have no idea what I'm doing.

Ok I'm 18, fresh out of high school, both me and my brother were accepted at a college for Graphic Design and New Media. Our parents have gone through a lot of work and planning to get enough money for us to go, but I'm starting to have doubts.

I took Graphic Arts in high school, because I needed another credit and my brother enjoyed it. I found out I was actually pretty good at it. Graphic Arts was fun. Then people started talking about careers and doing design work, and everything just happened so fast! Now I'm scared. What if I'm not that good. What if I get bored with it, now that it means something (that actually happens a lot... Lacrosse, Acting/Drama, Welding. As soon as it becomes important I get bored), and I totally let my parents and my brother down. Everyone has such high hopes for him since he's ADD, and I feel like I keep getting pushed into the wood-work. I want everyone to see what I can do. But I'm afraid that I'd start out good, and then let everyone down.

I don't really know what I'm asking for. I'm so confused...

EDIT: I'm taking a 2 year course crammed into 1 year (52 weeks long), with only weekends and stat holidays.
McKay is a private school that specializes in courses. So I can't change what I'm taking. I either take it all year and see what happens or I drop out, and I'm back were I started.

Don't worry - 98% of college Freshmen have got absolutely no clue what they want to do with their lives. Most will pick majors that seem cool, and most will switch majors at least twice. It's normal, and it's perfectly fine.

Trust me, 4 years is a long time. Even just 2 years is a long time. You'll be taking a wide variety of classes during your time there and it'll open up your eyes to a bunch of different career paths you didn't even think about before. You'll find something that you love, even if it isn't the design thing that you walked in with.

Don't freak out quite yet! It's going to be foreverbefore you're actually thrown into the real world. Trust me - I'm a college Senior right now. :lol:

If you get bored with it, it means you need to make it more exciting for yourself. A lot of people get tired of doing graphic design halfway through and its because (at least at my school) you have to take a lot of pre-requisites before you can take the classes that matter. So if you push through it, its worth it.

There's no shame in changing majors, either. As long as you make a decision before your Junior year in college, it usually doesn't mess up your schedule. I know someone who started in business, then went to biology, and now majors in acting. College is a place where you try to see where you fit. Its the time to experiment with your interests and see how far you can push yourself.

Just dive in headfirst. If you make a mistake, that's what your academic advisor is for. =]

Also, don't feel bad if y ou end up taking more than four years of college. I'm on my fifth right now. Most people take at least one extra semester, whether its the fault of your own or the program. I just had a lousy advisor. >>

Only one thing I can say. Believe in yourself. Be oblivious to what others might say. Do your best always, if you knew to yourself that you did what you can then you don't have to be afraid. Being afraid of can really pull you down you know.

To answer your questions:
1. If you was not good enough, you'd never been accepted into college, right?

2. I can't say if you will get bored with it, but my best advice would then be to just try to somehow get through it, at least you will have an education and be able to get a job

I can see how you might feel nervous about it. I'm 19 years old, and this is my third year in school--I transfered schools actually. Right now I'm a Spanish major. There has been a lot of talk about me changing it since my parents don't like it. In the end though, I really do like Spanish. It's just my thing. My parents keep trying to make me change my major to something more business oriented or graphic design. My mom keeps pushing the idea that she wants me to be a Manga-ka in Japan. Yet, they don't want me to take Japanese. It's really really confusing to me.

In the end, what you realize is that you have to do what you're doing for you. Once you graduate--not to frighten you or anything--but it's true that you'll be on your own. You need to make sure that what you're doing is something that you can tollerate doing. Why? Because you'll have to do it for at least 10 years while you're repaying your Federal Loans. No joke.

Most curriculum in most universities (all that I have encountered, actually...) make you take what is called "core courses." These courses are designed to make sure that you're a well rounded student and to give you access to knowledge that you otherwise wouldn't have gained if you'd only pursued your major. They're helpful in another way too. Once you learn more about one thing--Take Psychology for example. I'm a right brained person (means I'm NOT analytical at all, and I'm bursting with creativity) so Psychology is a scary idea for me. But! After taking my psychology course, I realize that it is actually quite interesting behind all of the science. If Spanish and Graphic Design didn't work out for me, I could always pursue an occupation in another field that I was exposed to through my core classes. College prepares you for academic life, high school prepares you for social life.

When you go to school, you'll find out that there are a lot of people who are just as scared about your future as you are. My advice? Take it in stride. Do what you can in school, and realize that once you walk out that door in the morning, you're leaving your home life behind. If you live in the moment, you won't be worrying about pressure. If you focus on the pressure, you're doomed to fail. Try your best not to worry about it. If it were too hard for you to do well at, you wouldn't have been accepted into the school, right? Have a little faith, eat well, and stay focused on the important things--and you'll do just fine! If you're feeling confused, lost, or panicked, you can always talk to an RA (or if you're living off campus,) advisor, a university guidance counselor, or your professor [they're useful for academic issues, not life crisis issues].

I think the thing that scares me most, is that my 2 year course is crammed into one. 52 weeks of school with only weekends and stat holidays. And actually this Graphic arts program is the entire day. It's a private school that specializes in certain degrees. So I can't change what I'm taking. I guess college was a bad word for it. I'm accepted to McKay Institute.

I don't know. I've always been good at giving people advice, but I suck at taking it. I know I need to believe in myself more, and in the people around me, but I'd hate to burden them.

i'm a freshman in college as well. i've had two days of classes. it's not as tough as you'd think. i was SUPER worried about moving in, meeting my roommate, starting classes, starting my job, etc etc. but to be honest, it's been quite a smooth transition. if you get bored, there are plenty of things to do around campus, but try to balance extra curricular with school work, because school comes first; it's what you're paying for. as for the two year course, i think you'll do fine. anxiety is normal; a HUGE change is about to happen in your life. i would be worried if you WEREN'T nervous for it. just take a deep breath, relax, make good friends, and have fun in your classes!

feel free to PM me whenever you want!

it's ok to get bored and change majors, and even transfer.
Sometimes, you will feel like you have no idea what to do with your life, no matter what. but don't let moments like that get you down.

Guys I can't transfer. I can't change my course. McKay is a career institute. Either I take Graphic Arts or I drop out and I just wasted $12,000 (CAN).

I looked up your institute online just so that maybe we can be of better assistance. :) There isn't that much information posted there, but I did find out that your program is only 1 year long. You spent approximately 11,050 USD. 10 months at my school costs me 35,000 USD. It's also a 4 year program. At my old school, I spent roughly 20,000 for 10 months and it was also a 4 year program.

Transferring schools is something that happens only when you can't do anything at your own school, or if you're planning on building up your GPA to get into a better one. McKay also offers Criminal Justice, Medical Administrative Assistant, Medical Office Assistant, Veterinary Office Assistant, Massage and Hydrotherapy, and Photographic Imaging Technician Programs. Where this is only a 12 major program for the Graphic Design, I really wouldn't worry about whether you're going to do superbly or not. There have been a lot of classes that I've taken, and I've also taken quite a few for my major and minor. Of course, you'll need to do average or above in your select classes... But where it's only a 1 year training program I don't think it's as intense a commitment as a major in school.

Here, you really just need to have confidence in yourself. Once you start, you'll have to remember that you're always going to think that you are the worst one in all of your classes. Believe it or not, other people will be thinking the same thing. Just chug through it and you'll be fine. The pressure you're feeling from your parents should still not affect you. As long as you're trying your very best, you have nothing at all to worry about.

You seriously wont.
If you were admitted, then the coursework won't be too difficult.
Also, the Institute's aim is to produce successful individuals. If they can't do that, then it's a problem with the Institute, and not with you.

Well, think of it this way. You sound like you're locked in to graphic design for the year, but that does not mean it's what you HAVE to do for the rest of your life. If you take this course and find that you actually think graphic design is incredibly boring, you can switch colleges next year and try something different.

If worse comes to worse and you decide you don't like graphic design then you can change majors. ...If you find the college doesn't offer what you want - transfer! My two closest friends found their calling after one or two years of college and switched. One of them's even taking an extra year. So just chill a little and have fun! You'll find what you most enjoy eventually, and one of the best things college can teach you is that things don't always go as planned - but that's not a bad thing.

And even if you can't transfer your credits... you didn't necessarily waste the money. The friend who transferred after two years of being an english/IT major spent about 60.000$ on a college she didn't get all her credits from. BUT she learned a lot of skills that are going to help her, she also made many friends and had wonderful experiences.

As it's often said "College is the last chance to make mistakes" and mistakes will be made. =3

Don't worry. Almost all freshamn start college without knowing what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Me included. I'm in my junior year and only recently decided what I want to do. So there is no pressure. Just have fun with college. I promise you will be fine. You can always change your major if you decide that Graphic Arts is not for you. Just take your time and have fun. ^_^ A little advice from a college student.

I've just started college and i was super worried but it;s turning out good. I was dreading it before I went, it;s just nerves because it;s something new.