As finals week comes to an end and my freshman year of college comes to a close there are a few things I have become aware of that never crossed my mind as a high school student. Everyone always says how different college life is and they try to tell you horror stories and “not to drink something handed to you at a party.” I am not sure how many times I heard that followed by “getting drunk is part of college life, it is okay if it happens.” Beyond the statements made and the testaments told, I figured out some things for myself. Some good, some bad, most funny, maybe not at the time but as I reflect they become hysterical. My hope by sharing 10 of my failures, realizations and blonde moments is that you see that life happens to everyone but in the end it is always a blast.
1.Going to the Doctor is easy-peasy when you are with your mom. I had to go to Cleveland Clinic for my yearly neurological checkup, but this time without my mom. I have two insurance cards and handed the person both, I told my doctor I had no idea what he was talking about because my mom always answers the questions and I did not get a sticker. Oh, and parking garages are an accident waiting to happen but it is so dark that no one would know if you wrecked.
2. When your parents leave, make sure your car key doesn’t. This is probably my biggest failure to date. Last week my parents drove four hours from Chillicothe to Painesville to pick up my big things from my room. We went shopping and out to eat then they left. I had packed a tote that they took home with them after dinner and without realizing it my car keys fell into the tote. I closed the lid and they were on their way home. After a night of tearing my room apart I finally got the courage to call mom and tell her I had lost my only key, only for her to find in the grey tote, four hours away. An overnight shipment and 15 dollars later I have my keys.
3.Make sure your computer charger is always in your bag. I don’t even know how many times I went to work on a paper or take notes in class only to not have my charger and a dead computer. On a side note, also make sure you have your charger before leaving home. Because I have had to turn around from two hours away just to go home and get the charger.
4. Do NOT drop the soap. I know this sounds like prison. Although, the consequences aren’t even close to the same thing, they tell you to wear shower shoes for a reason. Do you really want all that nasty left over residue from others’ bodies on your soap or loofah? I didn’t think so.
5. Campus jobs are the best. This doesn’t really need an explanation. What could be better than getting paid to do homework
6. No one cares what you look like, really. Leggings and long sleeve shirt with minimal to no makeup is the perfect class attire. No one cares if your underwear can be seen because they’re not looking or they’re not saying anything because WHO CARES, its college.
7. Parties are not fun unless you like the smell of weed and sweaty guys. Don’t get me wrong I’ve had my fair share of fun, but going to a sports house or frat house for a party is not the cool way to have fun. I walked into one party and all I could smell was the amazing stench of sweaty guys, the fantabulous smell of weed, and the sweet song of guys hitting on girls and being rejected, most of the time.
8. There IS such thing as a stupid question. Example: “Do you want to go to Starbucks?” and my favorite, “Does Chipotle sound good for dinner?” WHY WOULD ONE EVEN ASK THESE?!
9.Missing your old friends is going to happen. When I started classes I half way expected my two best guy friends to walk into my pre-calc class or to be waiting for me at lunch. But, it never happened. Snapchat, group texts, and winter/spring breaks are for seeing old friends
10.The new friends are just as awesome as the old. I never thought I would meet people that even halfway come close to my old friends, but I did and they are awesome! From the movie night snuggles and ice cream when one friend had a bad day or week to the endless laughter, Starbucks runs and Chipotle runs. I don’t wish for even a minute that I would have gone anywhere else. The weird things my friends do that I just so happen to be a part of and always having someone knocking on your door in a towel so that you don’t have to shower alone made my first college experience the best. (to clarify: there are two different showers).
My old friends were awesome but my new friends are full of more awesome to add to my life. My freshman year was AMAZING because of the mistakes I made and the people that have entered my life. I hope the seniors of 2016 think about these things and make their own mistakes. Life happens when you don’t even realize it, but when you realize what’s happened, life’s pretty funny.
