Shannon Huber

What school do/did you attend, what do/did you major in, and what year did you graduate NA?

I graduated from NA in 2019, and now I’m attending Penn State University. I’m majoring in Secondary English Education with a minor in Special Education Studies.

Do you think NA gave you an accurate idea of what college/real life was going to be like? In what ways?

Regarding school work, yes, I do think NA gives you an accurate idea of a college work load. Honestly, college was quite easy to step into after homework and classes at NA.  There were others who didn’t adjust as easily. Any college should be more challenging than high school, obviously, but NA students know how to stay on top of and ahead of school work, so it’s very easy to manage.

Do you think there was anything that you wish NA had done a better job of preparing you for?

This is going to be a little brutal, and honestly stress-provoking, but whoever told us all that you have time to figure out your life and what you want to do in college is a liar. Colleges have a very intense, usually strict four-year plan, and truthfully, wiggle room is minimal. Right off the bat, you are going to be thrown into major prerequisite classes and it will be overwhelming, but try to stay calm about it. Take advantage of your university’s resources to explore options or just

What was your biggest surprise when you got to college?

My biggest surprise was how much free time I actually had. While it definitely depends on your personal workload/major/classes, I think everyone will be surprised by how much extra time they have. If you’re a procrastinator, do not let it go to waste (like I definitely have). Staying ahead of your classes is key — use up all the time you have to stay ahead and take your time on work.

How well prepared do you think you were compared to your peers?

Extremely well prepared. Teachers are definitely not lying when they tell us we are far more prepared than other students. It’s extremely noticeable once you start peer editing papers for friends and in classes.

Do you have any advice for the current students?

If you’re a procrastinator (like me), try to stop that habit now!! Definitely not a cute thing to be doing in college. I would highly suggest investing in a planner. At the beginning of every semester, professors will hand out a syllabus with every single test, big essay, project, or quiz’s due date on it. Having a planner (or some type of calendar) is a convenient way to stay on top of assignments. It’s also really nice to see when big tests from different classes may line up on the same week, so you can start studying ahead of time.

What do you miss most about NA?

Having teachers that know you by name is so nice. Building personal relationships with professors can be challenging at a bigger university, and I miss how easy it was to do so at NA.