College is a learning experience in more ways than just education. From developing life skills to learning future career tips, there are just some things that you learn quickly when you go to college.
1. You’ll quickly learn how to study. Studying in college is not at all like studying in high school. It’s a different world. You can’t study for a test ten minutes before anymore.
2. Naps are your new best friend. You will learn that no amount of sleep is ever enough. You’ll find ways to squeeze in a nap anytime, anywhere.
3. Time management. Balancing class, sleep, Netflix, studying, some semblance of a social life, clubs and organizations, eating and your personal health is no easy task; it requires some serious time management skills.
4. You will develop a work ethic. Another important life skill. Whether it’s a strong work ethic or a not-so-strong one is up to you.
5. Responsibility. Even if Mom and Dad aren’t there to force you to do your homework or clean your room, there are still things that have to be done and that you will be responsible for getting done yourself. #collegenoparents
6. You’ll develop social skills. Every freshman is in the same position of knowing very few people and being away from home. By not knowing anyone, you’ll be forced from the first minute to talk to people and make friends. Getting out of your comfort zone is one of the biggest parts of a college experience.
7. Communication skills and conflict resolution. Having to live in a tiny bedroom with another person while both being on different schedules means that you will be forced to work on verbal communication as well as conflict resolution.
8. You’ll learn that dorm food will actually make you gain weight. The Freshman 15 is unfortunately not a myth or an excuse made by already-unhealthy people.
9. Then you will have to learn to work out and/or modify your food choices. Or else the Freshman 15 might turn into the Sophomore, Junior and Senior 15.
10. How to do laundry. You probably have never done laundry prior to college. You might learn how to perfectly time your laundry schedule for when you are down to your last pair of clean socks. Who knows, maybe you’ll even learn to love doing laundry (...or is that just me?).
11. You will learn that there are many different kinds of people out there. There are people of other religions, people from different parts of the country or from different parts of the world and people with different world views than you. You might not fully understand this until you get out of your high school bubble.
12. Procrastination. You’ll learn how to complete work at last possible minute, and how to be okay with it (sometimes).
13. You’ll learn that your parents really are your best friends. These people are here for you when it seems like no one else is. You can call them any time to complain about classes or roommates and you will learn that they really do have the best advice and encouragement.
14. How to deal with stress. Whether your go-to method is crying, turning on Netflix, talking with your friends, eating an entire pint of ice cream, taking a deep breath or simply getting to work on your studying, this is something you’ll figure out right away.
15. Your grades and your GPA do not define who you are. If your GPA isn’t necessarily where you want it to be, that does not mean you aren’t smart or won’t be successful.
16. Perseverance. Working hard to get what you want (whether it’s a grade in a class or a career position) and being able to overcome obstacles is an important life skill.
17. You will learn how to have fun in any situation. Whether it’s because you live in a small college town or whether it’s the middle of the night and everything is closed, you and your friends will find fun and memorable things to do.
18. How to survive on a dorm food or a tiny food budget. You’ll also find yourself becoming cheap in general. Free things = the best things.
19. How to work with people who might be different from you. Whether they are of a different culture, religion or mindset than you or if you simply don’t get along, you’ll learn to work with and respect others.
20. Group projects in college suck way more than in high school. You’re usually not with your friends, the projects are actually difficult and not fun, and professors grade way harder than your high school teachers. Also having to coordinate meeting times with everyone’s schedules sucks.
21. You will obviously learn to be independent. Being away from hometown without Mom and Dad and without your high school friends forces independence upon you the minute your parents leave. After 18 years of curfews and rules, you are all on your own now.
22. The three best words you could possibly hear: class is cancelled. Especially 8 a.m.’s. But any cancelled class means it will be the best day ever, probably.
23. Comfy clothes are champion. If you dressed cute in high school and expected to continue doing so in college, you are probably wrong. Once you put on that first oversized t-shirt and leggings, you’ll wonder how you ever managed to wake up early enough to put together a cute outfit and suffer through the day in something so terribly uncomfortable, for the sake of fashion.
24. You will learn to try so many new things. College is all about getting out of your comfort zone and realizing that life exists outside of your personal bubble.
