8 Random Things I Had To Get Used To At College
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Student Life

8 Random Things I Had To Get Used To At College

Goodbye trusty lanyard, hello plastic pocket on the back of my phone.

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8 Random Things I Had To Get Used To At College
University of Michigan

The college experience has so far been a wild ride, considering it’s only been two weeks since I’ve been here. Of course, the transition from to college life brings about many challenges, but there are many minor differences from high school that I’m sure many of us newbie college kids have had to get used to…. Or maybe it’s just me?

1. Lanyards

OK, in high school, getting your lanyard with your keys and license on it was like a rite of passage. Once you had that lanyard, you were automatically a little cooler than you were before. Plus, it was just so easy to keep all your cards and keys around your neck, plus the little Vera Bradley wallets were SO in. However, once you step foot on a college campus, at least at The University of Michigan, apparently lanyards are the mark of the dweeb freshmen. Goodbye trusty lanyard, hello plastic pocket for the back of my phone.


2. Not driving

Driving, in general, is something I miss without a doubt. Driving with the windows down and music up is my therapy, and not being able to drive sucks. Whenever I go home you bet I’m going to take long drives by myself because I need to get my fix. I will say that all this walking is definitely helping me combat the freshman fifteen.

3. School supplies

Throughout my time in high school I had a system where I’d have a binder with loose leaf paper for each class (this is making me sound a lot more organized than I was) and I would have those pocket things for the inside to shove all my papers in (that’s more like it). I appreciated the binder system, but in college, less is best. Notebook. Pen. Laptop. Headphones. That’s it. Simple and so far it’s working.

4. Doing my own thing

When you’re around the same people constantly for 8 hours each day it’s pretty customary to talk together, eat together, walk together, study together, etc. So, when I got to college I expected the same type of thing. But, I’ve eaten alone multiple times, I’ve walked to class alone a lot just listening to my music, and I’ve studied and just chilled out by myself too. And let me tell you, it’s SO NICE. I do 100% think of myself as a people person, but with such a hectic schedule it’s nice to just have time to yourself to listen to music, do homework, or scroll through Snapchat and Instagram. You obviously have times where you meet new people, have lunch with friends, or walk with your classmates to lecture, but honestly, people just do their own thing and it works out well.

5. Asking people for contact information

Like I said before, the people you were friends with in high school you probably spend a TON of time with, and if you’re like me, have known them for many many years. So, I didn’t really need to say “hey, can I get your number?” or “what’s your Snapchat?” very frequently, and vice versa many people didn’t need to ask me all that often. In college, you meet a new person everywhere you go, and sometimes it’s nice to exchange information if you see yourself becoming friends with that person, or if you need a connection in a class so you can exchange notes. It’s a completely normal thing to ask people for social media or their numbers… It’s a great way to build relationships!

6. THE CLUBS

I knew there was going to be a lot of student organizations on campus, but when you go to the exciting Festifall (an expo of all the student orgs) and get bombarded with information and bring home 70 different flyers for club meetings...it’s actually insane. My selection when it came to clubs in high school was much more limited, so It was pretty easy to find my niche. There are THOUSANDS of clubs available, and now I have like 50 different ones I want to join. The variety was overwhelming at first, but I’m super pumped to check the orgs out and find my place that I fit in!

7. The bathroom situation

Am I glad I did the community bathroom? Yes. It's nice not having to clean it. However, I didn't really think how much of a change it would be to have to get up and walk down the hall and use a key to pee in the middle of the night. Or how weird it would be to have to caddy all of your belongings with you to the bathroom... and don't get me started on how many times I got to the shower and realized I forgot my towel. But I'm getting much more used to it, and sometimes it can be a fun adventure because you never know who you're going to run into in there.

8. People don’t care… really.

I always heard that college is a place where you can basically do whatever you want and expect to not get judged. It’s true, everyone. People who come to class in their pajamas get applauded, people who eat ice cream at all three meals get congratulated, and If you’re stressed out and need someone to talk to join the club. Everyone is there because they want to be and everyone has too much stuff going on to worry about the fact that you have a spaghetti stain on your shirt. No worries, I’m glad you enjoyed your spaghetti.

I have learned that college is full of changes…. you just have to embrace them and roll with the punches.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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