Sofia Boccaccio, Opinions and Blogs Editor
Illustration by Isabelle Kim and Graphic by Victoria Tremblay
On a chilly Saturday morning, the streets of Pilsen, a neighborhood in Chicago, were quieter than usual. While some storefronts remained unusually empty and many residents chose to stay inside, Donovan West walked down Damen Avenue with a notebook in hand. As a freshman at Northwestern University, he was not just adjusting to college life. He was interviewing business owners about the impact of recent ICE raids, listening as they described how fear was spreading through neighborhoods.
College, for Donovan, has not only been about lectures and exams. It has meant stepping into real communities and writing stories that matter.
The first few weeks of college bring new teachers, unfamiliar classrooms, and a level of freedom that most students have never experienced before. For many NCHS graduates, this transition has been manageable, not because college is easy, but because they were more prepared than they expected.
At NCHS, teacher support, available resources, and a variety of classes do more than strengthen college applications. They have helped students develop skills such as time management, organization, and knowing when to seek extra help.
Many recent graduates emphasized that one of the biggest adjustments in college is learning how to manage freedom. Ryan Boulanger, currently a freshman at Bowdoin College, described the shift clearly. “You manage your own time, and there is absolutely nobody telling you when you need to get things done,” he said. Without the structure of high school, he had to decide when to complete homework, when to spend time with friends, and how to stay productive. “It is about finding and striking a middle ground,” he said.
Olivia Mohr, a freshman at Vanderbilt University, also shared how the freedom of college reshaped her social life. “It is definitely very different,” she said. “When making friends, go with the flow, meet everyone on your floor, and be very open minded.”
Due to the academic preparation NCHS has given graduates, having balance became easier. “You may not fully realize it until you get to college, but you are already two steps ahead,” Ryan said. Students often underestimate their preparation while they’re still in high school. Only once they step onto a college campus do they recognize that their hard work has paid off.
Donovan West, now at Northwestern University, agreed that coursework at NCHS made the transition easier. “The rigor of the course load and how challenging the classes are make college classes feel manageable,” he said. “What also helped me was taking AP classes and earning credit through the exams. A lot of that credit was transferable, and now I’m able to pursue further areas of interest during my junior and senior years.”
Olivia also acknowledged that the workload felt familiar, but the grading system was different. “Something I wasn’t anticipating is that there’s a lot less grade inflation in college,” she said. “In high school, there were a lot of homework assignments that helped bump up your grade. Now, my grade might be based on three exams and a project.” While she does not find the material substantially harder, she explained that fewer graded components make each one carry more weight.
Addie Tauber, a freshman at New York University, prepared for college through both leadership and academics. “NCHS does a great job at providing its students with enough rigor and tough coursework to make college courses not so daunting,” she said. Addie also pointed out how extracurricular involvement is valuable. “Being a member of multiple clubs, and more specifically, leading clubs like Charity Link and the dance team, has helped me develop leadership, communication, and organizational skills. Having to be in charge of and interact with numerous people has aided me in the clubs I’m part of now, in advocating for myself, and in finding new leadership positions.”
Ryan shared a similar opinion. “A student-run class where you manage peers is incredibly valuable in preparing for college,” he said.
The support system can be different in college. Showing maturity and taking initiative is crucial. Olivia emphasized how independence shifts in college classrooms. “You definitely have to advocate for yourself more in college,” she said. In big classes, the professor most likely does not know your name or does not have the capacity to keep track of every student. “If you are confused or need an extension or extra help, you have to make the effort to reach out.”
Several graduates highlighted that learning when to seek help was one of the most valuable lessons they carried with them. “Finding adults you can ask for advice and questions is key,” Donovan said.
Ryan offered a similar sentiment when reflecting on the College and Career Center. “There is no reason not to stop in, even briefly, to ask questions. They are trained specifically to guide students through this process,” he said. Being willing to use resources and ask for help can make the difference between falling behind or staying on track.
Susan Carroll, the College and Career Center Coordinator at NCHS, spoke about how early students should realistically begin using planning resources. “Students should begin sophomore year,” Ms. Carroll said. By the end of sophomore year, students are in a position to begin exploring colleges, starting with broad questions about size and setting, whether they picture themselves in a city, a suburb, or a more rural campus. Ms. Carroll urges students to think beyond name brands and to ask themselves, “Where will you thrive? Where will you find your friends? Where will you find mentors?” These questions shift the focus away from rankings and toward personal fit.
Ms. Carroll also observed that mindset plays a major role in how students transition. Social media can also increase the pressure, making it seem as though everyone else has already found their place. “Students who thrive on campus are the ones who have the ability to stay off Instagram once they arrive so they’re not constantly comparing themselves to their friends’ experiences,” she said.
Looking back, Donovan reflected on the intensity of senior year. “Many students were losing their minds over college applications and decisions. People would compare results, and that sometimes led to frustration or disappointment,” he said. Donovan believes students should trust the process. “You’re going to end up somewhere you’ll be happy with, even if you don’t fully realize it at the time,” he said. Instead of obsessing over outcomes, he recommends focusing on growth and using available support systems.
Addie mentioned that if she could revisit senior year, she would take greater advantage of academic resources. While NCHS has its own writing center, she admits she did not use it as often as she could have. She believes that building that habit earlier would have made a difference. “I think the writing center is such a great resource at NCHS, and I definitely should’ve taken advantage of it,” she said. “At NYU, we have our own writing center, which I have used for almost all of my papers, and it has truly changed my writing process, while making my papers much better. So if I could go back to my junior or senior year, I definitely would have gone to the writing center more, which probably would’ve made me less stressed when it came to big writing assignments.”
For students still navigating high school, the message from graduates and counselors is consistent: preparation matters, but perspective matters even more. As Ms. Carroll said, “It may sound like an old axiom, but it doesn’t matter where you go. It matters what you do when you get there.”
