College is a glorious time in a person’s life. As a current participant in the rat race, I am nostalgic for it on the regular. Seriously. You really don't appreciate the whimsy of throwing Frisbees on the quad until you're stuck in a cubicle staring at a screen. When you get out into the world and you have bills to pay and adult responsibilities, the things that seemed annoying while you were in college are the things you start to long for. So, for those of you who are still in school, realize that these four years are not forever. Don’t take a second for granted.
Here are the top five things I wish I had appreciated more when I was in college.
1. Being able to pick who you are surrounded with.
You can meet people with similar interests through clubs, classes and mutual friends. Some of the most amazing friendships you make will be in college, because that is when you are really starting to come into your own. (Also, depending on the size of your campus you can easily avoid people if you want to.) Out here in reality, you don’t get to pick your peers as much. Don't like one of your coworkers? Tough. So appreciate your college friends and make them lasting ones!
2. All the free time.
You don’t necessarily realize it when it's happening, but you have so much time, time that you can spend doing literally anything. Take full advantage of it while you can.
3. Being able to barely work (or not work at all) and still survive
When I was in college, I probably worked eight hours and made $50 weekly. But that was all I needed because I had a roof over my head and a meal plan. Life is much simpler when you don’t need to worry about how you’re going to pay your bills.
4. Extra-curricular activities.
Want to go on hikes with a bunch of people who love the outdoors? Want to watch obscure films and eat pizza once a week? Or have a radio show? Or spend an hour speaking French just because? You can do all of these things in college. When you start working full time, you have to make a conscious effort to keep up your hobbies, but in college you just have to block off an hour or so and walk across campus.
5. Studying abroad.
If you love traveling, study abroad. When you are working a 9-5 and those student loans start to roll in there will be so many complications when it comes to being able to travel on a whim. Sure, there are service trips you can sign up for, but studying abroad is a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore a new culture. You really learn to appreciate the world when you’re able to live in a completely new place for a while. Plus, it’s all been set up for you, so all you need to do is apply and hop on a plane. If I could go back, I would have studied abroad twice.
