Once you get to college, your whole life changes. There comes the dreaded responsibilities. The whole point of college is to prepare us for "real life" and get us serious about a career. But if there's something I've learned more than anything else in my college years so far, it's that sometimes, we can relate to Buddy the Elf on a spiritual level. Here are 9 reasons why we can all be like Buddy the Elf.

1. When your professor promises that his tests won't be that hard as long as you study the material, read your textbook, and go to class. You believe him until the test day. Then you realize. What he meant to say was you'll pass as long as you read the textbook front to back, go to all seven review sessions, visit a psychic in the sketchy part of town, and sell your firstborn to Rumplestiltskin.

2. Living with roommates is hard. Sometimes they're nice and share the cookies that their mom sent them. But sometimes you realize you'd rather move to Antarctica and live among penguins than live another day with them. But ultimately, you end up feeling like this.

3. Seeing wildlife on campus is nothing new. Especially in La Crosse, squirrels are commonplace. It's actually weird if you can go a whole day without seeing one. I've had the thought, "Oh, they're so cute. Maybe I should pet it..." But then I realize that that would probably be the worst idea and you'd probably end up like good ole Buddy here.

4. Cooking is hard. Ramen and pizza aren't weird breakfast foods, right?

5. The smallest victories can motivate you to keep going. You have two tests, a project, and work tomorrow, but it's okay because you checked organizing your mugs from best to worst off your mental checklist. It's okay that it was never actually on your list, because you accomplished something today!

6. Getting 8 hours of sleep isn't a thing anymore. Was it ever? I can't remember because I'm running on three hours and coffee. Instead of showing how exhausted you are, you end up seeming crazy and start laughing at the weirdest things. Or you just pass out on a bench between classes. There are two types of people...

7. Meeting new people is fun! But it's also kind of weird, like, here's my friendship, now what? Sometimes, you seem to make friends in the weirdest ways. Like when you asked your now best friend a weird question at a party that one time and still talk about it today. I think Buddy had it right, though. Everyone has a favorite color. Why not ask about it?

8. We're all cotton-headed ninny-muggins at some point. Whether it's because you ended a relationship for a dumb reason or put your shirt on backwards this morning and didn't realize until noon. But it's okay, because it'll pass. Embarrassing moments aren't the end of the world. Also, it's college. Most people are past with the whole petty judgmental phase. If not, then they're the cotton-headed ninny-muggins.

9. We know that college is fun. It allows great opportunities for experiences you can't have anywhere else. If we can learn one thing from Buddy the Elf, it's that he shows that our lives can be hard, but it'll work out. Everything can be fun if you make it.