Sometimes, there are things you learn in college that you just can't learn in the classroom. More often than not, these are things that you've heard a million and one times from everybody and their mother, but never really thought much about until you experience something. And that's when you think, "Oh, it turns out, so-and-so was right," or, "Oh, so THAT'S what that meant."
1. I Don't Know As Much As I Thought I Did
I realized this at 19, during my first semester of college. I’m not sure what the circumstances were surrounding this epiphany, but I found an entry in a journal from that time with a single phrase that reads, “The only thing I’m sure of is that I’m don’t know much of anything.”When you’re that young, I think it’s easy to say you’ve got it all figured out. But eventually, reality sets in, and you realize that nobody has all the answers.
2. I Am Not Invincible
One day, you think you’re going to live forever. OK, maybe not forever, but you certainly aren’t thinking about the day you die. You do things that, looking back later, you realize were probably not the best or safest things to do. And in some cases, like mine, you end up at the bottom of a drop off in the woods with a broken ankle and a phone at 15%. And in those moments, you’re thankful you’re with your brother, who charged his phone before you both left the house. Granted, a broken ankle is by no means a near death experience, but it could have been a lot worse than it was. These moments are the ones that make you realize how bad things can get, especially when you’re not expecting them to.
3. Parents Actually Know A Thing Or Two
Believe it or not, sometimes you’re parents are just looking out for you. Sometimes their advice is actually valid. Sometimes it comes from, gee, I don’t know, experience, maybe? There are times when people need to learn the hard way. Other times, however, maybe you should listen to your parents’ advice.
4. Parents Are Not Invincible
I think this point is a lot scarier than when you realize that you yourself will not live forever. As you get older, you eventually realize that your parents are getting older, too. They can’t do things the way they used to. And sometimes (and I hope this isn’t true for too many people), your parents get sick. I don’t mean, “go to your primary care doctor, get an antibiotic, and get better in a few days” sick. I mean, “there may or may not be a cure for ‘insert-fatal-illness-here’” sick. And that, friends, is a terrifying thing.
5. It's OK To Shop At Thrift Stores
I actually prefer shopping at thrift stores, mainly because I like saving money. But as we all know, especially when you’re in school, money can be tight, and you just can’t afford a new pair of jeans to replace the ones that just tore beyond repair this month. Hello, thrift stores.
6. It's OK If You Don't Meet Your Soul Mate In College
For some people, this is a hard thing to be okay with, especially if you have this image in your head of where you’d like your life to be in 5 – 10 years. If that image includes a spouse, and maybe a kid or two, and you don’t meet a potential spouse by the time you graduate from college, you feel like you’re somehow not where you’d like to be, like you’re somehow at odds because it seems like everyone else around you has a significant other. Calm down. It’s okay. Stop looking. Maybe you’ll meet that someone when you’re not looking. This is one of those things you just can’t control.
7. You Can't Plan The Future
The future is another thing you just can’t control. It’s great if you have goals, and some sort of idea of where you’d like to be in a few years. There is nothing wrong with wanting to accomplish things. But the thing is, nothing ever goes exactly like you plan it. Life literally never works according to plan. Sometimes, you just have to go with it. Work with what you have. Make the most of what is in front of you. Stop tearing your hair out and relax a little.
8. It's OK If You Don't Have It All Together
Nobody has their ducks in a row. Ever. If it seems like they do, they’re putting on a damn good front. It seems like everyone you meet has one more step they’d like to make, one more goal they’d like to reach, and then they’ll have it all together.Can anyone ever really “have it all”? I don’t think so. Sometimes, you need to take a step back, look at the bigger picture, and appreciate your life for what it is at the moment. You’ll get to a good place eventually.
