We all planned our lives around going to a college where we could live in the “cool” freshman dorms to get away from our parents’ rules, restrictions, love and home-cooked meals. Unfortunately, there were some real-world issues that they didn't include in our welcome tours that they should've mentioned.
1. Living with no rules can be a bit overwhelming
Pro: Coming home at 2 a.m. on a school night with no consequences is the coolest thing you'll ever do.
Con: Waking up for your 8 a.m class while running on five and a half hours of sleep immediately gets you a free pass for the struggle bus (and yes, you will have 8 a.m classes regardless of what your advisor says).
2. The unlimited junk food is irresistible
Pro: Mom isn't around to shove an apple down your throat at breakfast. So drink a bottle of Pepsi with your Cheerios, eat gummy worms for lunch and order as much pizza as you can (with her credit card of course).
Con: The. Freshman. Fifteen.
3. Unlimited food due to freshman meal plans
Pro: Congratulations, you now have a plastic card that possesses the power to feed you for free!
Con: This "free food" is paid for in your tuition, and it's a great financial decision. That is until you have a remaining balance of $5.00 when there are three weeks left of the semester.
4. You can have guys/girls over at any time of the day
Pro: Inviting someone over at 2 a.m. no longer involves sneaking through a window.
Con: Inviting someone over at 2 a.m. is never a good idea (refer to #1 and my past experiences).
5. You can be as obnoxious as you want
Pro: There's nothing more fun than blaring your favorite Spotify playlist on your battery powered speaker while getting ready or chilling in your dorm.
Con: Quiet hours are a real thing, and so are passive-aggressive neighbors. Unless you want to be written up or rude post-it notes posted on your door, being loud is not for you.
6. "Go clean your room" is a thing of the past
Pro: You can either wash your sheets or Febreze them, vacuum the floor or sweep everything under the rug, or wash your dishes or leave your dishes full of soapy water for a couple of weeks.
Con: All of the ultimatums above would excite any 17-year-old who is about to embark on their journey to college, but again, Resident Assistants are a real thing, and so are angry roommates (shout out to Britney for my latest write up).