No matter where you go or what you do in college, there are some common things that will be inevitable for every college student to come across. From being unprepared for a test, to your “I’m never drinking again” type nights, you learn more in the four years of college than you could ever expect.
1. Fail a class, test, or quiz.
And that’s okay. One test or quiz is not going to make or break your college career. There is time to make it up, so move on, prepare better for the next one, and get over it.
2. Learn your limit the hard way.
We all have the one time we drink too much and make a complete fool of ourselves. Is it fun? Heck no, but it definitely shows you how to handle your alcohol, even if it’s the hard way. And it sure leaves a story to tell for years to come.
3. End a high school relationship.
And it’s a blessing in disguise. There has always been an understanding that most high school relationships won’t last through freshman year, and it's true. Though there are exceptions, college is a whole new world with new challenges, areas for growing, and completely different surroundings. Some may not believe it now, but the decision whether to end that young high school relationship can make or break your college days.
4. Have a mental breakdown…or two…or five…or one per week.
OK, who hasn’t cried in the library at one in the morning? There’s a lot of pressure that comes with being a college student, and sometimes your only release is panicking and thinking your going to drop out of college every once in a while. If you haven’t contemplated an ultimatum, you aren’t doing college right.
5. Go broke.
What’s $5? Well those $5 add up to a couple hundred, and then all you have is a crying wallet and a box of pasta to last you a weeks worth of meals. You begin to plan out your priorities. Is it a Chipotle run or box of wine type of night.
6. Pull an all-nighter.
There’s so much going on that before you know it, there’s that test you’ve been meaning to study for that’s worth 25 percent of your grade, and you have less than 24 hours to read, analyze, and understand four weeks worth of material. Say hello to six cups of dark roast coffee, two red bulls, and enough caffeine to keep you kicking till sunrise.
7. Lose friendships you thought will last forever.
College is all about living and learning. People begin to change and grow up, and distance is a huge factor. There will be times where your BFFs from high school become a fond memory, and that’s okay. Not everyone is meant to be a "forever" type of friend. Everyone is finding themselves and friendships will naturally begin to drift. That doesn’t mean both of you are bad friends, you just are at two different places in your life, which is normal.
8. Be adopted into a family or two.
OK, who hasn’t spent a weekend here or there at your roommate's parents' house? They become your second mom or dad, checking in weekly, making sure we are all alive and well, making you food so you don’t starve in the dorms, and being your parents away from home to tell you to get your act together.
9. Find yourself.
This is pretty straightforward. You learn so much about who you are and your life you never even expected to know. It’s a time to find yourself and your passions, and to shape your future. It’s a time for growth and change, and that’s exactly what will happen.
10. Find a home away from home.
You can only prepare for college so much. You read the latest blogs, and talk to the graduated seniors from last year, but you really won’t understand till you’re experiencing it yourself. You change so much in a matter of four years, but as time goes on you really realize you’ve created a second home and if you’re lucky, a second family. College is the best four years of your life…so cherish it.
