Many young adults are starting the next chapter in their lives by going off to college. For many of us, this will be the very first time that we will be out on our own in the real world, and that can make our parents a little overprotective and smothering. They constantly tell us what to do, who to talk to, how to live, and this can be very overwhelming when all you want to do is live and have a little fun. We get tired of hearing them tell us all of their "good" advice over and over again. So here are the five things that college freshmen are tired of hearing:
1. Don't room with your best friend.
I can understand why adults wouldn't want us to ruin our friendships with the people closest to us, but you have to let us make our own decisions and try to make our new relationships work. If we want to room with our best friend, then we are going to do that. The key to a good friendship is communication. If the friendship is worth hanging on to, then you will put in the effort to make it work.
2. Don't date your first year.
I hate to break it to you, but it is almost impossible to keep this from happening. There are so many new people to meet and to hang out with that you can't stay single. Even if you do manage to stay single, you are guaranteed to meet a few people who pique you interest. Many students date even if they don't actually get into a serious relationship. That is a major part of the college experience.
3. Stay away from junk food.
I honestly don't know how this is avoidable. We are "struggling" college students. Junk food is a part of the culture and the experience. There is really no way around eating those kinds of foods. The only way to combat that is to eat healthy foods as well, and try not to sit in your dorm all day long. Get out and enjoy the sunshine. Go for a jog, or walk around campus instead of driving everywhere. There are plenty of ways to combat the junk food rule, but staying away from it just isn't an option.
4. Call home everyday.
This is the number one thing that most college students get told to do by their parents. It is thoughtful, but it it is totally unrealistic. I might call home once or twice a week, but everyday is just mad. College is our time to be independent and to act like young adults. No college student wants to call home everyday because they want to feel that sense of freedom without their parents breathing down their necks. It's okay to call home, but a reasonable compromise has to be met for this independence to be met.
5. Studying needs to be your best friend.
Now I can't argue with this piece of advice because it is very good advice. The only caveat to this is that studying shouldn't be your only friend. Yes, studying is important to maintain your grades in college, but there are other important things that college gives us. One of those things is socialization. This is one of the major things that college is about. You have to socialize to be a part of that community and to thrive in it. Studying is crucial, no doubt, but don't make it your only focus in college. Have a little fun, and get involved.
