As you move on from your high school years and into the long awaited college chapter of your life, you may start to notice some changes. You may be unaware of these changes or you may see them happening and wonder if it's normal. Either way, I'm here to help you identify 10 things that qualify you as the typical college student.
1. Ramen noodles appear in your kitchen.
Now I for one, told myself I would never stoop down to the Ramen noodle level. Ramen noodles are known for being widely popular in college students' diets. I now know the reason. Cooking takes a long time and a lot of ingredients. Ingredients cost money that quite frankly you don't have, or that you'd rather spend at the local coffee shop (see #4). As a college student, your best friend will be meals that create themselves. Ramen Noodles are undeniably good, easy to make, and SO STINKING cheap. No joke, a pack of 12 is only $2.39 at Walmart. $2.39! That's less than the average price of a box of cereal, making the amount of sodium in one packet well worth it.
2. You're packing on a few extra pounds.
By now I'm sure you've heard of "The Freshman 15." This is a real thing! There are many reasons you may notice some unwanted pounds hanging out with you. No more healthy home cooked meals courtesy of Mom. The Ramen noodles and Chick-Fil-A add up. You're not in high school anymore, meaning if you played a sport in high school, you no longer have that as a cushion to boost your metabolism (unless you're a college athlete in which case, "Way to go, your muscles are huge and you eat all day....blah blah blah"). Also, college classes are exhausting. The last thing you want to do on Monday after a full day of class is go for a run. Instead, you put on your PJ's and fall into the black hole that is Netflix. Join the club.
3. You're so sleepy....All. The. Time.
As a teenager you were told that fatigue was normal and all teens sleep more than average. Forget that! College students are like real live zombies. You probably have so much on your plate, more than you've ever had before: 12-19 credit hours, an internship, a part time job (maybe even full time), bills to pay, groceries to buy, homework to do, and laundry to do. By the end of the day you are exhausted. You're bed is like a fluffy cloud that lures you in and chains you down. If you had the time, you could probably sleep until 3PM. You're sleepy in the morning, on the bus, during class, at work, in the shower, and even on the weekends. That's OK, because #4 will save you.
4. Coffee is your oxygen.
The key to college is caffeine. Only got 2 hours of sleep? That's OK! Most campuses have a coffee shop near by or on campus, because they know the shop will thrive. All you have to do is survive sleep deprivation long enough to stumble upon the magical place that provides you with energy. Guide yourself to the end of the line with the rest of the red-eyed, groggy zombies, mumble your favorite drink to the barista, and voila! They hand you your heavenly cup of rejuvenation. Savor it and worship it for its magical powers.
5. Suddenly you have a uniform: t-shirt and shorts.
You may attempt to wear cute, well put together outfits the first week or so of class, and your attempts will come to a quick and sudden halt. Ain't nobody got time for that. More than likely, you walk almost a mile everyday to get from class to class. It's hot outside, you're sweaty, and your jeans are driving you nuts. The solution: over-sized t-shirts, shorts, and tennis shoes. This can get repetitive wearing the same type of outfit everyday, but really it's worth it. Being comfortable and practical with your wardrobe is the best thing you can do to avoid blisters, sweat, and panic in the morning when you can't figure out what to wear.
6. Your book bag weighs at least a billion pounds.
Why are textbooks a thing? Most professors insist you buy or rent the text book. It's a million pages long, weighs 70 pounds, and you end up never using it. But you bring it to class anyways because you didn't spend money on it just for it to sit at home alone, and if you ever do need it, you'll be prepared for once. Also, you have to have your laptop with you at all times because typing is quicker that writing and also Netflix.
7. Reading for fun is no longer a thing.
OK, a new Harry Potter book just came out and all you want to do is lay in bed and read it, but after spending every morning and every night reading pointless articles, ridiculously long short shorties, and 20 pages of each textbook, the last thing you're going to do is lay your eyes on words by choice. Thanks a lot college, I was really excited about more Harry, but now my eyes can only handle so much.
8. You're pretty good at shoving through crowds now.
When classes first started, you were probably very polite when it came to the buses. You would let people get on ahead of you and you would say you were sorry if you bumped into anyone. Not anymore. Now, you go straight to the edge of the sidewalk, you stand your ground, and no one steps in front of you. Being polite on college buses that are over crowded and have limited space will get you no where. I learned very quickly that it's each person for themselves. No one's saving you a spot, no one cares if you miss the bus, and everyone else is trying just as hard to get to class. So fight for your spot and push to the front or you will literally be kicked to the curb.
9. A cancelled class is like Christmas.
It's midnight and you're finishing up an episode of the Office before heading to sleep when you decide to check your email. One appears titled "Class Cancelled Tomorrow," and your heart flutters like your mom just woke you up to tell you Santa Claus came. Suddenly you feel a burst of energy! CLASS CANCELLED! Yes! A whole extra 55 minutes to do absolutely nothing tomorrow! Oh and you really hope that your professor feels better.
10. Your school pride is outrageous.
I officially bleed red and black. Go dawgs! I've always been a Georgia fan, but now that UGA is my school I don't even know what to do with myself. I'd be more than willing to try to convince just about anyone that UGA is the greatest school in the entire world. UGA students are the best there are. And yes, I have worn red and black everyday this week. And yes, I do have a UGA sticker on my car, front window of my apartment, and refrigerator. And yes, my family members can count on their birthday present having a UGA logo on it. My school rocks.
