College experiences are different for everyone. These days, college is a necessity for a bright future. To provide for yourself and a family in the future, a college degree is extremely important. However this does not mean that the years you spend at college are the best years of your life. So quit shoving this saying down college student's throats.
The truth of the matter is that for some people, this saying is true. For some students, college is the best years of their lives. It's a time for self-discovery, for building relationships, and for partying. It's a time where dreams are divided into short-term and long-term goals. College is a time where lifelong friendships are formed. Or maybe instead, college is where you find your soul mate. College is where you experiment with different courses and majors. College is a period to embrace freedom.
For others, though, college isn't associated with bliss, friendships, and partying. There are tons of reasons that college may not be the best years of your life, whether it's financial struggles, stress, loneliness, failing to exceed expectations (whether set by individuals themselves or by their family/friends), boredom, depression, etcetera.
It's not easy making friends at school. Depending on the school you go to, you can find that the students on campus are very cliquey. And no matter where you go, you'll face judgemental people. There are plenty of odds against you finding the right place in school, and finding the right crowd to associate yourself with.
And for the record, hearing family members say "Just put yourself out there," or "Join a club," or "Show more effort," does absolutely nothing to make college more enjoyable. It is likely that students are already attempting to do these things; they're trying to initiate conversation with peers and/or attend events/join organizations that are associated with their interests. Hearing condescending phrases from others just rubs salt on the wound. Seeing you roll your eyes and tell me to try harder isn't going to make me smile and say, "You're right. I need to try harder." Maybe, just maybe, I'm already trying to fit in. And maybe I'm sick of pretending to be something I'm not, just to make some friends.
College is also a major transitional period. In high school, you get to come home from school and take a break from dealing with peers. You don't have to learn to live with roommates. In high school, you have time to spend home with your family and loved ones. But when you dorm at college, you can't see your family until your parents drive up to your school and surprise you, or until your parents take you home for a weekend. Even worse, if you go to a school far away from your home, you can't go home until a break like Winter break, Spring break, and Summer break.
Not being able to go home causes emotional distress. And once you move into college, it's not like you can turn back time. Because after college, you're expected to get a job and move away from your home. You're expected to build a home of your own, and a new life of your own. And that sucks. Growing up sucks.
Attending college is rewarding on so many levels, but that doesn't mean it automatically associates with being the best experience you'll ever have. Don't make me feel guilty or upset because my college experience is not the best years of my life. Hopefully, I'll have better years to come.
