College can easily be the best four years of your life. During this time, you'll have the opportunity to gain knowledge from vast amounts of sources, and you will also gain useful world skills. Most importantly, you will forge deep connections with amazing people. Whether it be studying abroad, living in a new area, or connecting with unique individuals, college will be pretty amazing four years. The ladies from 'Orange is the New Black' show, in a particular way, the ten most common struggles college students face.
1. Trouble concentrating in your dorm.
With so many people sharing the same living space as you, it is difficult to get anything productive done in your room. People are constantly popping in or making too much noise, which makes the library your only option. All you want is some peace and quiet, so you can figure out if Edwina will pick Gilly or Admiral Rodcocker.
2. Being Hungry at all times.
It does not matter that you already ate dinner. When midnight rolls around, you're craving some Dominos. College makes you hungry all the time. Maybe it's due to the fact that the dining halls are only available to you at a certain hour, or just that your school's food is not that edible, but either way, make sure you have snacks ready.
3. Being tired during the day.
As every college student knows, there is never an inappropriate time for a good long nap. Your classes keep you busy with homework and preparation for exams. With a social life, exercise, and just the plain fact that you need your "you" time, you need your naps to recharge.
4. Money.
It's no secret that college makes you learn the value of money. In the beginning of the semester, you thought you could afford every cab ride, dinner out, shopping spree, and trip to the school bookstore; those days are long gone. It's no secret that you will have to learn to live with what you have and to be cheap, in order to not be completely broke by finals.
5. When it's winter, but you still need to dress nice.
Even though all you want to do is go out wearing a sweater, jacket, leggings, and a furry hat, you know that's just not acceptable attire for the bar, club, or house party. In high school, you could go anywhere and dress appropriately for the weather, but in college, all of that logic goes out the window. While it's fun to get ready and put on your best outfit, once you go outside in 40 degree weather wearing a dress or short sleeves, you'll wish you stuck with the furry hat.
6. Stress-induced breakdowns.
It is completely normal to break down once in awhile while at school. Whether it's because of stress, homesickness, or personal reasons; there is no shame in having a good cry. Hopefully you have someone like Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" to hold you through it.
7. Missing your high school friends.
It can be hard being away from the friends you had in high school. You may find yourself losing touch with people who you once thought you had a deep connection with. This is normal, and does not mean that your high school friendships are doomed forever. The best solution is to reach out to your old friends, because they probably miss you too.
8. Tests are 10 times more important and stressful.
In high school, if you failed a test, it wasn't the end of the world, but in college it is a whole other story. Because each class only lasts one semester, there are fewer tests, and they count for a higher percentage of the overall grade for the course. One F on a test could make it very hard to save your grade, so the stress for each test is also worse.
9. Lack of privacy.
Sometimes, you just want your room to yourself. For most schools, it is very rare for anyone to get a single room to themselves in a dorm. Whether you have one roommate or more, you will find it hard to get the alone time you desperately crave.
10. Staying up all night talking to your roommate.
If you love your roommate, this really isn't a struggle but a fun ritual. You both need to be up in the morning, but you just can't stop talking to one another. While you know you'll be tired in the morning, we've already established naps are a thing. Those late night talks bonding with your roommate or friends, prove to be the best and actually add to the many other ways college can be an amazing experience.
