Whoever said that college was all about partying, drinking, spending time with friends, and letting loose was obviously a liar and has never made it to their third year of college.
Yeah, you get to do all of those fun things above (if you're legal, duh), but people are forgetting what it takes to get the degree. Long library nights and having a love-hate relationship with Blackboard (or Canvas, or whatever it is your school uses) is going to be the topic of discussion in college. Oh yeah, and sleep doesn't exist. The dorm beds are just there for decoration and can be a place to cry on from all the stress.
College is still one of the best years of your life, trust me, but you've never experienced pain like junior year. It's so bad, getting your ankle chopped off by a Razor scooter is considered painless. Here are some of the different times junior year has violently kicked my ass and how I'm still holding on to this day...by a thin, THIN thread:
1. Watching tuition rise as you fall apart.
It should go the opposite direction but okay college. When my upperclassmen friends told me that they were broke, I didn't understand, but now I do. What sucks is that it's really hard to get scholarships because they are mainly for incoming freshmen.
2. "Wait, let me check my bank account first."
Thank you checking account for reminding me that I will always be a broke loser…*checks one more time for reassurance.*
3. Wanting to give up so bad, but then you want to graduate at the same time.
Do you know how many times I've said I wanted to drop out of college….THIS WEEK?
4. The only people who hit you up at this point are your class group chats and Fashion Nova with their same-old 30% off deal.
Imagine waking up in the morning to a "Good morning" text, but it's from Sarah from your marketing class GroupMe group chat.
5. Checking Blackboard more than checking the news itself.
Ah, let's see. Okay -26% in Finance, 10% in Statistics, things are looking right for me. It's a wonderful day! (But if you seriously get these grades, please seek help.) Blackboard ruins my mood every morning, I should just stop checking it.
6. Your social life is slowly diminishing because you're consumed by school.
"Friends?" Never heard of them. Can you say that word in a sentence?
7. Being charged by your university by literally just being a junior...
Yes, I literally got notified from the bursar department about how I got charged $200 for having a certain amount of credits, also known as being a junior…but at least I wasn't the only junior ranting.
8. Living further away from the buildings your classes are supposed to be in.
At our school, all of the off-campus apartments are literally a distance. Some are right by campus, but see, the way my school's parking system is set up...
9. Not having a full meal plan anymore so you have to fend for yourself like it's survival of the fittest.
People think that having to cook is the end of the world and how you're basically going to starve. However, there are so many ways to live off zero meals by stocking up on frozen meals, cooking a large meal and then eating leftovers for the week, or even ordering food. There are also limited meal plan options that are much cheaper to live off on...but still.
10. Crying about how you're almost hitting graduation time.
Imagine being sad that you're graduating and realizing that you're going to be working for the rest of your life. Kind of makes me think about going to graduate school, is that weird?
11. Sending out hundreds of internship applications and only hearing back from like...three.
When the applications ask, "Why should we hire you?" when the obvious answer is that it's because they're hiring…
12. Seeing all of these little kids on campus and you realize they are underclassmen...and you're getting old.
Not going to lie, it's actually pretty sad. But then again, it's time to remind these kids who the OG's are.
13. Having 5 group projects all due the same week...
I'm sure all of my professors in my major department banded together to screw me over on purpose. Keep that same energy when it's time for course evaluations, guys.
14. You are no longer eligible for on-campus housing and your school's meal plan, so now you're wondering how you're going to survive.
But no one said anything about living in an on-campus apartment! However, people are basically forced to move off campus because tuition rises every year. No one is paying more than they have to, so survival mode it is!
15. You're only taking major classes at this point.
Trust me, you're going to lose it when you realize from this semester forward, you're going to have your classes in the same building with the same people. But you're going to get used to it.
16. Turning 21. All I'm going to say...
Junior year + alcohol is a disaster. P.S., please don't binge drink when stressed.
17. The Wi-Fi playing with your emotions like it's a toy.
LISTEN! Don't die on me now. The Wi-Fi always wants to go down when you're doing a paper and I'm sick of it. It's a sick joke, I tell you.
18. Having the tendency to always flake because you're "just not in the mood anymore."
Yeah, I talk a big game when it comes to making plans, but after finishing a paper, the last thing I want to do is socialize. Once I come back to my apartment, I'm not coming out sweetie.
19. Eating all of your groceries and blaming everyone but yourself.
This is where you have to go to the mirror to confront yourself about who finished the rest of the Cheez-Its because it was your own damn self.
20. That suspense when you call your credit card company and hear: "Your card ending in x1234 has an account balance of...."
I can't take it. I need a minute.
21. Being so broke you actually get a side-job just to afford to be able to breathe.
"Selling insults for $1!"
22. You've managed to sleep with your eyes open.
I literally started saying my dreams out loud. It was a little weird, you know?
23. Having $36.78 in your bank account makes you feel like a millionaire.
You all deserve shots.
24. Watching your bank account suffer because you and your friends are always going out.
And always having to Cash-app people back because…
25. Getting a lecture when you swallow your pride and ask your parents for money.
I don't like to ask my parents for money because I always want to be self-sufficient. But when it's time, I STILL don't ask because I'm scared they're going to flip out. My brother, on the other hand…
26. Seeing your GPA do cartwheels before your eyes.
Listen, what we're NOT going to do is change my grade all because that grimy girl pointed out a mistake on the exam.
27. All of the homework you get is LOADED!
Somewhere, SOMEWHERE, there is a handbook saying that this is illegal.
28. Having an inner heart attack when rent, credit card bills, and school DEADLINES are all due on the same day.
By laying down and doing nothing, your problems will be solved.
29. Stress-eating because of junior year.
Yeah, I've gained a lot of weight, not going to lie. But at least I gained a new friend in DiGiorno's Pizza.
30. "So, am I graduating on time? Or..."
Every visit with my advisor is confusing. One day I'm graduating earlier than all of my friends, the next visit, I need to take another class.
31. The constant construction on your school's campus is making you lose it.
Shading my school in particular. We see you moving dirt back and forth and no improvement, sis!
32. Your relationship is starting to get rocky (and that's okay).
Balancing a relationship and schoolwork is HARD. No really, it's HARD.
33. Being overwhelmed by the amount of job fairs open.
Especially people shoving their companies down your throat and being pressured to apply...only to not hear back.
34. Feeling like you’re plateauing and it’s only the beginning all up until graduation.
Yeah, I'm only here to get this degree. I knew college was going to be challenging but damn, not like this. Anyone else struggling like me?
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