College is wonderful once you begin to get over being homesick and making the switch from high school to being on your own. You begin to fit in and learn who is going to be in your new group of friends. You find things that you like to do and start getting involved. Being a college student in my second semester, I really appreciate things I never thought I would and a lot of people take for granted. Here are a few of them.

1. Your high school

Believe everyone who tells you that high school is not the same as college, because it is so true! You do not receive study guides, you do not get to retake tests, you have to study more than you ever had to in high school and study groups are the norm instead of going out.

2. Your own money

Learning how to be frugal is of most important skills to acquire when on your own. Is that shirt, those pants or going out to eat really necessary? Saving money is the key to not having to ask your parents for extra cash every other week, showing independence and not falling into the category of broke college student.

3. Your own space

Sharing a room with someone is everyone’s fear when going off to college. You're asking, “How am I suppose to share a small, compact room with someone I do not know?” Well, it is not as hard as you think. You have to adjust, learn how to live in a small room together and make the most of living with very little personal space.

4. Your sleep

Going off to college means trying to find time to take naps during the day, because you are so exhausted from staying up late, studying or just hanging out with your friends. Either way, you slowly begin to lose sleep once college begins and you literally cannot wait to catch up on your sleep on the weekends.

5. Your mom’s cooking

Remember all those times when you wanted to go out to eat with your friends in high school and never wanted mom’s good cooking? Well, once you go off to college, eating in your school’s cafeteria (Moffat) everyday gets old very fast! The weekends are a luxury when you begin going home and your mom cooks for you. I would love nothing more than mom’s homemade cooking every single day.

For high school students, and especially high school seniors: take a minute out of your day to think about the small things (non-materialistic) that make you healthy and independent. Remember that you have more and are more fortunate than other people, and always thank God for everything you have and appreciate the small things in your life.