When walking onto a college campus for the first time, future students are usually impressed. They fall in love with the beauty of the campus. The programs offered exceed their parents' expectations. Clubs, sports teams and Greek life further entice the soon-to-be college kids to attend the university. What the school and tour guides fail to advertise is how the college forces students to grow up.
It all starts when the freshmen move on campus. Yes, the students chose to live away from home, but they don't realize all the freedom and responsibilities will soon pile up. Not only do students have to clean their own rooms, but they also have to do their own laundry. No more Mommy on call to help with activities she has done since you were born. You begin to realize you truly are on your own.
Also, living on campus without your family means living with new people. College students have to interact with multiple roommates. Soon what used to be your own private space at home becomes a common room that you have to share with others.
The next step in the secret growing up process is the classes. Not only do the students have to pick their own classes and the times that the classes take place, but they are responsible to make sure they get to the classes. Once you reach college, you are in charge of your education process. There is no specific schedule that you have to take in order to graduate, and there is more freedom in the types of classes you can take. For example, you may need six science credits, but you can take any type of science you wish. You have to make that decision for yourself.
Then, comes the difficulty of attending the classes on time. Mommy and Daddy aren't there in the morning to wake you up for class, it is now your responsibility. Sometimes students choose night classes so that they can sleep in. If there is a club meeting or party at the same time as the night class, they have to make the right decision (that means going to class).
Declaring a major and a minor forces college students to grow up. The college tricks you by saying you are allowed to pick whatever major or minor you want. It sounds like the college is allowing you to take a few classes and decide what you want to do.
However, when you do pick a major and a minor, you basically dedicate the rest of your college career to planning out the rest of your life. Every class has to relate to the major or minor or a future career. For example, if you decide you want to be a physical therapy major, certain schools require a specific amount of schooling to complete the major. When deciding what to major or minor in, you are forced to decide what you want to do with your life.
Once a person reaches college, their childhood chapter closes and their adult one begins. The freedom and responsibilities increase every year whether they are ready for it or not.
It is important to grow but to still keep a part of your childhood with you. Try not to get caught up in all the changes and growing up college forces you to endure.
“Even though you want to try to, never grow up.” — J.M. Barrie, "Peter Pan"
