Dear College Student,
I will start by recognizing the fact that you probably hear people say “college is the most fun four years of your life" all the time. So far, I have honestly found that to be true. The freedom, social life and self exploration that comes with your college years is irreplaceable.
However, no one ever tells you the stress that can pile up. We aren't talking about a little fretting or worrying, we're talking about potential breakdowns here. Yes, it's an absolute blast at college. But amidst that blast, you are periodically hit with the realization that this is all eventually going to end. You can't wake up at 11 a.m. for the rest of your life. In a few years, you won't be able to afford to neglect all of your responsibilities to spend your night driving around blaring old T-Pain songs while eating Dairy Queen. This is just reality, and sometimes when reality hits, it hurts.
Therefore, I wanted to write a letter to college students of any age who have already, or in the future will, experience this tough realization. If you're not prepared for it, it'll hit you like a ton of bricks. I've devised a list of things to do to prevent an absolute “this is the end of life as we know it" meltdown.
- Time management: I'm sure you've heard this a million times, but don't ignore it. It'll make your life so much easier if you simply make a schedule. Buy a planner. Use the notepad on your phone. Heck, even stick a sticky note to your forehead. Spacing out your activities and schoolwork will tremendously reduce your amount of stress.
- Involvement: Some people really need to hear this, and some don't at all. For all you overachievers, social butterflies and curious cats out there, listen up. Obviously Auburn is an incredible university, and with that comes a plethora of organizations, committees and opportunities to be involved in. It can be exciting and overwhelming. However, you have to pick and choose. Stick with a few select things you are really passionate about. The key here is to not spread yourself too thin.
- It's okay to change your major: I still don't understand how we can seriously be expected to know what we want to do with the rest of our lives at age 18. How are we supposed to pick the field we will end up in without any experience or exploration? You might as well use a Magic 8 ball. With that being said, it's okay to change your major. In fact, you are probably going to. As long as you're working hard to pass your classes, explore your options and truly figure out your strengths and weaknesses, you will be just fine.
- Teachers are the best resource: Make friends with your professors and use their office hours. If your teacher is helpful, it's basically free tutoring PLUS brownie points because they know you care about their class. If you consistently visit your teacher throughout the year, they are also more likely to help you out with your grade when finals come around.
- Sleep: You're going to have a full plate—a busy schedule both socially and academically. Do yourself a favor though, and don't become an insomniac. Even though you think it's smart to stay up into the wee hours of the night to cram everything in, you're really just wearing yourself down. Chances are when you're sleep-deprived, your work isn't going to be great quality anyway. So have your fun and crazy nights and also pull the occasional all-nighter if you must, but overall, get some sleep.
I'll leave you by saying that I know you probably won't follow all of these rules most of the time, but if you do follow them for even a small percentage of your college career, your life will undoubtedly be filled with less stress and more enjoyment. Don't get down on yourself when you fail a test or have a crisis about what you want to do with your future. Trust me. If you've never had one, those meltdowns are not fun. Have a blast at college, make friends, explore and work hard.
Enjoy the ride!
Sincerely,
Your Fellow Stressed College Student
