In college, things are a little different from how they were in high school. We are expected to act like young adults (most of the time) and we have more responsibility than we used to. With all of these new responsibilities, there is a lot more excitement and freedom in a college student's life. The newfound independence pushes us to figure out what we want to study and who we want to be. The world is our oyster and we have so many opportunities ahead of us. We're on our own now and stuck in-between the stages of being a kid and being an adult; it's hard to balance sometimes.
Self-discipline is key when it comes to school work and self-care. Mom and Dad aren't here to nag us about unloading the dishwasher or doing our laundry. I often catch myself sitting on my phone or watching Netflix when I know I should be doing homework. It's almost second nature to look around for my mom before I do it...
In high school, it was easy to study. There was never too much going on during the week so there was always time. You get to college and there is always something going on. Whether it's a club meeting, study group, or sorority event it's easy to get wrapped up in the social tornado and overlook the work you have to do. We've all stayed up until 3 AM studying for that test we somehow forget about (oops). All-nighters are great for learning time management skills.
My bank account is starving. You bought a costume for your date party, some earrings you definitely did not need, and a delicious $20 hibachi dinner! When you go out with your friends, you're destined to drop some cash. There's no money tree in your shoebox of a dorm room, but there is ramen!
Has anyone ever told you "College was the best 4 years of my life?" Well, there's a reason for that. As challenging as they sound, these aspects are so important to the "college experience." When you're old and gray, you'll think back to all the stupid and funny things you accomplished. You don't want to look back and have any regret. You're going to take advantage of every opportunity you have.
As college students, we're on this weird journey to figure out the rest of our lives - whether we know it or not. Something else that everyone says is that these four years go by way too fast. It's almost November and it feels like I just moved into my dorm and left my family. Personally, I get caught up with what the next step is and sometimes have a hard time living in the moment. College has taught me to live day-to-day and to embrace every event that is in front of me.
