It is often referred to as “some of the greatest years of your life,” and you probably hear older friends and family members say “enjoy it while you can.” While both of these statements are true, college comes with many challenges that we do not see in the typical college movie. The recipe to college includes a cup of stress, a tablespoon of anxiety, and a dash of tears. For those of you who have watched movies where everyone seems to know what they are studying, you meet your best friend in your dorm on the first day, and meet the love of your life in the dining hall, well I am sorry to say that college is so not like the movies. However, while movies exaggerate the crazy parties and campus life in general, college does bring you lessons, memories, and more character building experiences that shape us into who we are.

College indeed brings us friendships, lessons, and experiences that we will never forget, but if you find yourself wondering where all of these incredible people and experiences are or why they have not happened yet, let me tell you that it is perfectly OK. You may not meet your best friend on the first day, or walk into a huge fraternity or sorority house with people smiling and dancing, and you may not meet the guy or girl of your dreams until after this phase in your life is over; it is okay. What is most important is the fact that along with these events comes many sessions where we truly start to grow in ourselves. While college does bring us the freedom to do as we choose, and the peace of having our own schedule, with that comes responsibility. Responsibility in college could mean a dash of anxiety and a splash of tears, but it also teaches us to hold ourselves accountable. Being overwhelmed in college is perfectly normal. Think about it. Some of us are probably in a completely new place for the first time in our lives, some of us have probably never been in a classroom with more than 20 people, and some of us probably still struggle on how to separate your laundry (half of my white socks are pink. It is perfectly fine).

Not only this, choosing what to study and making decisions that could ultimately affect the next several years of your life is stressful. Although movies may depict college as being one big party, there are times where adulthood is overwhelming. For the first time in your life your teachers do not know your parents by name, you are not walking down one big hallway to reach all of your classes, and on some days you feel as though your life is in shambles. It is OK.

College is so not like the movies, and sometimes it is about finding out what you don’t want before you figure out what you do want. Although college movies may exaggerate the huge parties, and sometimes romance, they are right about one thing, life lessons. The college recipe brings on many ingredients that result in shaping who we are. Whether that be from the friends we meet, the class you had to drop the first week, or the person you thought was “the one”, out of all of these stressful situations comes a lesson. Maybe failing that first test taught you to time manage better and that you are not just a number on a piece of paper. Maybe that first week of school, where you knew no one, taught you to put yourself out there and be exactly who you are. Learning that lesson and sticking to it will bring you the friends of a lifetime. Lastly, having your heart broken by that person you thought was the one probably taught you more about yourself than you would have ever known. So yes, college is not like the movies, and I am here to tell you that that is perfectly OK. If anything college is about lessons, memories, and shaping your character.