I used to think that "the college experience" was a universal concept. As a high school senior, I dreamed of going off to school and experiencing everything that those glorified four years had to offer. I envisioned myself becoming involved in numerous organizations, joining a sorority, and going to parties, all while maintaining a high GPA. But once I actually got into the swing of college, what I had originally envisioned completely changed.
I chose to attend a huge school in a big city in an attempt to physically and emotionally separate myself from my hometown. I wanted new surroundings, new friends, and to have a whole lot of fun. At first, everything felt like a dream. The freedom that I never had throughout high school was suddenly thrown at me, and I loved every second of it.
As I grew accustomed to being away from home, I came to realize that I wasn't as interested in doing the same things most of my peers were doing. If I went to a party, I always ended up wanting to come home early. If I went to one of many libraries on campus, I'd always feel overwhelmed by how many extremely focused people were around me. For many other reasons besides these, I ended up transferring schools. At my new school, I instantly realized I was mostly surrounded by people who wanted the same type of college experience as I did. I'm still not sure how to define it, but I know that I'm enjoying myself and putting time and effort into what matters most to me.
When it comes to watching how others choose to experience college, "FOMO", or the "fear of missing out" can make you wonder if you're doing things the right way. Are you studying too much? Are you studying too little? Are you not having enough fun? Are you having to much fun? Are you far too busy with activities that don't matter that much? Are you not doing enough? The moral of the story is that as long as you (and only you) are happy and comfortable with the way your college life is going, then nothing else matters. The "college experience" is your college experience.
All in all, it's evident that the college experience isn't the same for everyone. Thankfully, your own personal experience in college can be easily tailored to your liking. Even if your school is a proclaimed "party school", you can still spend your nights studying your butt off. Even if your school doesn't have a huge party scene, you can still have the best of times with smaller groups of close friends. College is exactly what you make of it, and the experience is different for everyone. ll that matters is that you're getting your degree and having at least a little fun while doing so.
