I had never heard of laissez-faire, and I had no idea college tests could be that hard.

I didn't know how to balance school, work, and of course, time on the phone with my boyfriend. In fact, I knew next to nothing about how to succeed in college. Adjusting to the university learning environment required (and continues to require) me to lock away old habits for good.

Whether writing a literary analysis on Thoreau's Walden for lit' class or taking a test on the framing of the Constitution in government, my first semester at Idaho State University (Pocatello, ID) revealed to me that conformity is key. Of course, college expands thought and encourages diversity, but higher education also taught me that in order to succeed, I had to commit myself to the four simple rules all students must obey: Go to class, read, do homework, and study. Unfortunately for me, knowledge did not magically implant itself inside my brain. I had to work, and so I did - eventually...

To me, the first day of college seemed just like a continuation of high school, beside the fact that some students were much older than I was, the desks were smaller, and I didn't recognize a single soul. These were just a few minor details, however - no big deal. But I soon realized that college would require more adjustment than simply getting used to the daily trudge across endless miles of campus with several pounds of expensive books strapped to my back.

At first, my English professor seemed just like one of my favorite teachers from high school. She had that sweet, understanding smile, tortoise-shell reading glasses that hung from a beaded chain around her neck, and big, blonde curly hair. But during the first week, she forced us to be on time to class (the nerve!), and we took quizzes on our readings - that counted - almost every day. I had always thought college would give me the opportunity to skip class without guilt. Now I had to worry whether or not I would miss a quiz, or lose out on vital information for an exam.

I soon realized that the tricks I had mastered in high school in order to score an A would not work here. I actually had to do my homework; I couldn't fake it anymore. My professors knew when I stayed up late with friends and then looked at the assigned poetry reading for the first time in class. They knew my printer wasn't out of ink, and my computer didn't crash that morning. Somehow they knew all the secrets. I began to suspect that a long time ago, they must have tried all the same tactics themselves and failed, just like I did.

When it came to history tests, I found that I needed to know more than simply the year the United States entered World War II. My professor was big on drawing connections between things. For instance, we read novels that were supposed to provide insight into the past. The idea that a fictional story could explain what society was thinking or what people valued at the time the book was written - that was far beyond me. What I didn't realize was that college is all about this analytical-thinking thing.

Not only that, but one of the first things I noticed in my anthropology class was that many students were actually interested in learning. These individuals competed for front-row seating, kept their eyes glued to the professor, and nobody made fun of them. In high school, this kind of brown-nosing behavior would have been enough to get you labeled an outcast for the rest of the year. But this was college, so I had to accept these new rules of university society.

It seemed to me, in fact, that college students were proud to be bookworms. They read in public all the time: In restaurants, on the bus, while waiting at the doctor's office... I remember the first time I cracked open a textbook at the Taco Bell across the street from campus. I felt my face get hot, and I could swear everyone was staring at me. But I had to finish my reading, so why not eat at the same time? Many students like me now share fond memories of lunch hours in the sole company of
a large textbook.

Yes, my first semester seemed to hit me with many harsh realities, but it was well worth the experience. I'm grateful that I stuck it out because now I have grades I can boast about to my family and friends.

For me, and everyone else (with the exception of maybe Einstein or Newton), success in college requires that you conform to the four basic rules (say them with me again!): Go to class, read, do homework, and study. It sounds harsh, but believe me, it's not that bad.

When you set foot on campus for the first time, and all you can think about is party planning and excuses for skipping class, remember that in the scholastic sense, conformity isn't always a bad thing. Be prepared for those college tests and study hard!

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