1. Homesickness.
As we grow up, we experience more and more dramatic transitions in our lives. As an 18-year-old high school graduate, we are still learning about who we are and pursuing the people that we want to become. During this time, we are thrown into some unfamiliar situations and new environments -- like moving away from home for the first time. Most college students at some point in their post-secondary education experience a bout of homesickness, either mild or massive. It’s 100 percent normal to experience self-doubt, worry, and longing for the way things once were in our lives. In contrast to what we may believe, it does help to talk to others in these times. Talking to others about our homesickness can allow us to receive support and feel understood — after all, homesickness is one of the most common emotions freshman in college experience. Eventually, we power through the process of transitioning and come out on the other side more mature because of it. Homesickness has no immediate cure, but it is a temporary feeling, I promise.
2. Not enough room.
At home, you're probably used to a larger size of bedroom, a closet or dresser to store all of your clothing, plenty of power sockets to plug in your electronic devices, a full-sized bathroom, and a full-sized kitchen to cook or bake whatever your little heart (and mouth) desires. However, college life does not always offer us the same convinces as our homes. Multiple, tiny twin-sized beds squeezed into small rooms that may or may not be lofted to provide more storage space are not exactly most people's ideal sleeping spots. Mini fridges and microwaves are hardly the same as the oven, double-doored fridge and freezer, large sink, and dishwasher that you're probably used to having unlimited access to at home. If you've ever shared a bedroom with a sibling, you're one step ahead of everyone else who has to adjust to sharing these cramped living quarters. Communication is key, and you'll find out quite quickly that there's a whole WORLD of meals you can compile utilizing a microwave.
3. The dreaded weight gain.
Whether you are one of the lucky ones whose freshman year weight gain was actually the “freshman fifteen,” or you are in the majority of college students whose freshman year weight gain was more along the lines of the “freshman fifty,” the college lifestyle seems to take it’s toll on the human body. Perhaps it’s the sleep deprivation from staying up to write fifteen-page papers into the wee hours of the morning, consuming unhealthy foods because they’re more accessible and cheaper, and putting off that trip to the gym one more day because trekking across campus to classes all day is enough exercise, right? Apparently not, because that number on the scale just keeps rising… but hey, it happens to everyone and it’s okay. You’re not going to always look the same way you did in high school and that’s more than okay. Besides, now there’s just more of you to love.
4. Being broke.
Why do we pay thousands of dollars to put ourselves through academic torture for years again? Oh yeah, because we want to be educated, well-paid people with jobs we are passionate about. But do you know how difficult it is to cover the cost of living over these years? We practically have to sell our kidneys and first-born children in order to afford textbooks, food, gas, and other living expenses while in college. I swear I look for more coupons than a 35-year-old, stay-at-home soccer mom with five kids to feed; if that isn’t pathetic, I’m not sure what is. And how come discounted alcohol isn’t more of a thing? If we’re going to be permanently poor for the remainder of our college years, we at least deserve to drink enough to forget the fact that we’re broke…
5. Growing apart from high school friends.
We all have that friend or group of friends that stood alongside us the day of our high school graduations; we laughed at the sub-par graduation speech jokes, we threw our caps into the air, and we took our first steps out into the world as high school graduates to the tune of our school song with our loved ones watching. We swore we'd be friends forever and that nothing would come between us — no time or distance. I remember cruising around our town with no destination in mind but to just enjoy each other's company and stupid humor. I remember our midnight trip to that premiere of the movie we were dying to see and the quick stop at McDonald's we made afterwards. I remember stopping in the middle of the highway at 1 a.m. to do a Chinese fire drill, screaming and laughing. I miss our sunny afternoons boating on the lake and spontaneous backyard bonfires. I miss playing Wii for hours on end with you, letting the rainy day outside pass us by. You used to be the perfect place to vent about any problem that ever confronted me, and I remember all of the relationship advice I've given you over the years. When freshman year began, I remember our Skype sessions and snail-mail letters we sent to keep in contact despite being at different colleges. I remember hearing about your new friends, and telling you about mine. I remember trying to correlate the weekends and breaks that we went home so that we could hangout, even if just for a few hours. But I also remember our daily texts and weekly phone calls becoming monthly. I remember hanging out with you, and realizing parts of you have completely changed. I remember reminding you of "that one time…," and forgetting that you weren't there for it. We'll be connected forever, but our connection has certainly changed.
6. Campus parking problems.
There is never enough parking it seems like on campus for all of the vehicles occupying the lots on a daily basis. Considering the students in dorms, commuter students, visitors, campus staff, and professors as well as other faculty members, it's no wonder there's a bloodbath for the closest parking spots. In order to even snatch a parking spot at times, you might find yourself playing a large-scale version of musical chairs, competing against other parking spot-searchers. If you do end up parking far away, having to unload and haul stacks of laundry/clothes/groceries after a weekend at home or visiting friends can quickly turn into a full-blown workout. Speaking from experience, I'd advise you to do your best to avoid arriving back at campus on Sunday evenings because that’s usually when the parking lot is the busiest and packed to it’s maximum capacity. And don't even get me started on parking zones and sections… If the type of parking pass you have restricts you to parking in a specific section of a lot, and that section is full, where are you supposed to park? In the Burger King parking lot across the street from campus?! No, you're going to park in another section, which will likely result in your receiving a parking ticket, despite the fact you had no other place to park your vehicle. #CollegeParkingProblems.
7. Missing a deadline.
I will never forget the first time I missed a deadline; it was for a chapter test in an online biology course. It should be noted that I’m a very diligent and planner-obsessed student, so it wasn’t that I simply forgot to take the test. Unfortunately, I had read “10:00 p.m.” as the deadline for submission, but the deadline was actually “10:00 a.m.” I realized my mistake about twenty minutes after the test submission closed and subsequently went into full-on panic mode. I emailed my professor right away apologizing for the mishap and asking if there was any way he could allow me to take the test; I swear I have never typed faster in my life. When my professor finally responded, he told me that he could not make an exception for one student. I was devastated, but I still ended up earning a good grade in the course. The fact of the matter is that missing a deadline sucks, but it happens to the best of us. If your professor doesn’t take pity on you or grant an extension, it’s not the end of the world. Just work harder to boost your grade in the course and move forward with a fresh and positive outlook.
8. Finals week.
It's the week we all dread and push out of our minds during most of the semester. We all know they're coming, yet they seem to sneak up on you every single time and punch you in the side of the schnoz. We've all pulled an all-nighter before trying jam as much information as we can into our frazzled brains with the hope that we can recall as much of it as possible when the moment of truth finally arrives and we are put to the test. How is it so hard to remember the second law of thermodynamics when you can sing all of the lyrics to Stacy's Mom off the top of your head? Forcing yourself to push away distractions and study can also be a major struggle for us, especially living in a society where our cell phones and social media dominate culture. Good luck on your finals this semester — and remember, if nothing else, finals week is the perfect excuse to wear sweats every single day and look like a homeless hippie.
9. Moving back home.
After you've adjusted to the independence and freedoms that come with college life, moving back home can be one of the most frustrating experiences. All of a sudden, you have to report your plans for the night whenever you go out. Some of us may even have curfews imposed on us again to be back home by. Gone are the days of only having to tidy up your 4-foot-by-6 foot half of the dorm; now you're expected to do chores and help around the house again. If you have younger siblings, you may even become the family taxi or built-in babysitter for the summer, despite your protests. However, home cooked meals and a larger space to sprawl out are some seriously sweet benefits of moving back under Mom and Dad's roof.
10. Post-college debt.
Student loans are the worst; don’t even try to argue with me on that one. How are we supposed to be expected to start out our lives on the right foot nowadays when we come fresh out of college and into the workplace with empty pockets and bill payments strangling us? Not to mention, many of us will be planning a wedding and/or starting families after we finish earning our degrees or shortly after, making student loan debt even more of a challenge to keep up with. Start saving now, I guess, and try to choke down that microwaveable Mac-N-Cheese and Ramen noodles as best as you can -- your bank account will be thanking you later.
