This fall, scores of recent Chartiers Valley graduates are heading to college, trade schools and their first career jobs. Michael Moses has agreed to keep a journal of his experience as a CV graduate diving head first into modern-day college life

Come late August its going to be weird not walking into Chartiers Valley High School. A lot of people in the class of 2008 said that they couldnt wait to walk out of the circular hallways for the last time, but Im not one of them. Ill miss high school. For four years the bulk of my social life was centered around Thoms Run Road friends, teachers, and my newspaper class (where it seemed like I spent most of my waking hours but learned some valuable lessons from a tattooed guy named Mr. Welding). Ill miss the entire student body obsessing over gym-class pickleball (a game that combines tennis and badminton). Ill miss the Friday night lights, but not the Saturday morning bruises. High school has engraved memories in my psyche that will give me stories to tell for years to come.

Kent State is home to 22,000 students on a sprawling campus that resembles the colleges you see in movies. The drive is easy about an hour and 40 minutes from Pittsburgh. To me, its far enough away, but still close enough to home to satisfy my inner-mamas boy. At this point in life, I still need my clothes washed, my dinners made, and most of all I need to see my family.

A part of CV will always be with me. Namely, my roommate, who also graduated from CV in June. We werent especially close in high school, but when we both found out we were going to the same college, it just seemed natural to room together. Well be able to talk about CV stuff, root for Pittsburgh teams (Jack Lambert and James Harrison are Kent State alums!), and have our friends up to visit. And just as important, we both care a little too much about what were wearing, so you can be sure our dorm isnt going to be like most guys. If there was an MTV Cribs: Dorms Edition, wed be front-runners.

The biggest change I expect is in the classroom. College is still school, but its like high school multiplied (so Im told). Theres going to be a lot more independent work, which Im fine with. I dont like group work I dont want to depend on another person to do a job that I believe I could do better.

Youre going to get killed in the time management category, my mom says. Sad thing is, shes right. I need to change. No more Facebook when theres homework to be done, and no more texting when I should be testing. Ive already changed my major from Magazine Journalism to Broadcast Journalism (I checked the pay of print journalists and realized that I probably wouldnt be happy eating Ramen noodles and ketchup sandwiches in my 40s).

The aspect of college that has me most concerned is adapting to the teacher-student dynamic of college. Im used to teachers being close with their students, and now Im going into an atmosphere where there could be hundreds of students in each class. But no use fretting now.

Like the old saying goes:
Rule #1: Dont sweat the small stuff.
Rule #2: Its all small stuff.