College is a time for education and expanding the mind, however college doesn't take place solely in the classroom. Once class ends, the real college experience begins. College students have social lives, homework, and their own well-beings to tend to. When all is said and done, college life is busy and consists of multiple parts, of which the minority of time is spent in a classroom.
1. There really are people like me.
Throughout middle school and high school I tried my best to socialize and make friends, which I did, but I felt as if there were too many differences between them and me for me to feel like I completely fit in. Upon entering college, I found people who were more like me than I could have imagined. They were just as socially awkward and nerdy as I was, and I finally found a group I knew I belonged to.
2. The diversity of people on one campus is astounding.
When I say diversity, I don't necessarily mean ethnicity, culture, religious affiliation, etc. What I'm referring to is all the personalities I had encountered. Growing up in a small town, I was naive to the fact that everyone around me were very similar to one another. In college I met people with vastly different interests, personalities, and hobbies among other things. I was intrigued by this diversity and was inspired to meet many different people.
3. Dining hall food isn't that bad when you're broke.
Everyone I know complains about the quality of dining hall food, however everyone also knows that when your wallet has lost some weight your meal plan is a lifesaver. Even though it's not five star dining, it's still a lot better than no food at all.
4. Sleep is only optional.
There's a stereotype that college students don't get much sleep, and I'm here too tell you that this stereotype is absolutely...true. We've all been in a situation where we have a test or a paper due the next day and we stay up until 3 a.m. frantically typing or cramming. When your grade is on the line and your procrastination game is on point, sleep can take a back seat.
5. You don't always have free time, but when you do you're usually forgetting something.
Free time for college students is such a rare commodity, and more often than not when you're killing time on the internet there's something you probably should be working on. Most of us don't realize this until after the fact, like when you have some "free time" before bed so you decide to catch up on your favorite t.v. show only to show up to class the next day unprepared for your test.
6. Procrastination is a viable lifestyle.
There are two kinds of college students: those who admit they procrastinate and those who are lying. I have always procrastinated, but it wasn't until college that I became perfectly content with that fact. I used to stress out about writing an entire paper last minute, but now I realize that all the time I spend working on something ahead of time could be better spent doing nothing.
7. Friends are what's truly important.
Okay, this is the part where I get a little sappy. While I do understand that I'm in college to get an education and better my future, my absolute favorite part of college is the amazing people that I have gotten to know. They are the closest friends I have ever had, and I can honestly say that I would not have made it this far without them. A lot of people, like me, are most grateful for the people they met in college.
8. My experiences will stick with me forever.
While it has had its ups and downs, college has been an adventure and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I still have a year left, and I'm going to make the most of it, but the stories I've created will last a lifetime. College so far has given me some of the best years of my life, they have shaped me into who I am today, and I know without a doubt I will never forget them.
