The transition from high school to college is not an easy one. Classes are harder, you find yourself reading four textbooks each night, and studying for exams is more exhausting than running the mile. In high school, everyone and their mother seems to care what you are doing at school and the drama levels never seem to die down. However, in college people could care less about the things you do. Here are some things people would totally judge you for in high school, but never in college:
1. Your wardrobe.
Honestly, dead and finals weeks are probably some of the worst weeks of your life and lucky for you, you get to experience them three to four times each year! Yay! However, luck is also on your side when you can wear almost anything you want and no one will even bat an eye. Know why? Because they are running off 30 minutes of sleep at a library desk and are headed to the final that determines their career.
2. Eating in class.
By this, I mean straight up bringing a full-on meal to class. A bowl of spaghetti, some broccoli and maybe even throw in a slice of garlic bread. Hell, why don't you just bring the whole loaf because in reality, most people are probably jealous of you. In high school, you get an hour to eat lunch with your friends. In college, it's hard to find time to eat, good luck even finding five minutes to breathe.
3. Going out on a Tuesday night.
College is a stressful time and everyone needs time to themselves to have fun. The weekends just are not enough play time for some college students, and we need a little incentive to get us through the week — even if it's only been since Sunday. Rallying to get your homework assignment done so you can go out and have a good time with your friends on Tequila Tuesday is totally normal and common. If anything, everyone else is out too, not just you.
4. Being hungover for a lecture.
With number 3 in mind, sometimes you may drink a little too much. But that's okay, it's a consequence you just have to accept. In a huge lecture class, the teacher is highly unlikely to call on you and guaranteed, there's tens of others who are a little shaky and nauseous too. But let's be honest, you'll end up back out for Wine Wednesday just like the rest of 'em.
5. Spending too much time studying.
No one liked being called a "nerd" in high school. No one wanted to seem like they were trying to get all A's and have their friends make fun of them. In college, everyone understands that a high GPA is important and will supplement you for when you start applying for internships and eventually a real, adult-person job.
6. Sleeping at the library.
Midterms and finals are killer and crucial for your college career each term. Your test grades will either make or break your GPA. Sometimes, you just need to bring a knapsack and some snacks and camp out at the library all night. No shame in that. Kudos for being innovative.
7. Skipping class.
One of the most beautiful things about college is lecture slides being posted online and no iClicker questions for participation. This means that you can easily sleep in that extra hour, if need be, or go to the beach with your friends on a Friday afternoon. While this is not encouraged in excess, it's okay to miss one or two classes every term! No one will judge you for not showing up, unlike in high school where the teacher would freak if they didn't see you in your assigned seat.
If you are about to graduate from high school, your life is just beginning. You will soon have so much freedom you won't know what to do with yourself. You are given the ability to be whoever you want to be in college, and that's amazing in itself! If you are long out of high school, you know that people rarely judge you and that's what makes college so great, ignoring the fact that it's very stressful. But that means you're allowed to do weird things and not get judged for them because everyone is under a lot of stress and doesn't have time to make useless judgments.
