Although high school has some great benefits, it also lacks many essential life lessons. However, once you begin college and experience your first semester, you suddenly feel as if you have matured five years. From doing your own laundry to cooking your own meals, you learn how to do things you thought you could not on your own. College truly does teach so many valuable lessons. Even if at first you are just barely surviving, in the end, you will (hopefully) be thriving.
1. Managing your money.
Now that you are using your own money for EVERYTHING, it seems as if you never have enough. Whether you are shopping for new clothes or simply grabbing a bite to eat with friends, you are continuously balling on a budget. But you do learn the importance of managing your own money and bargain shopping.
2. Independence.
At first, you were living in a dream world. Nobody telling you to clean your room or to be home at a certain time, it was great. Everything seemed perfect until you realize that you no longer had anyone to cook your meals, buy your groceries, give you extra cash when you need it, and wake you up in the morning when you sleep past your alarm. Now you realize what it takes to make it in the real world... lots of self-motivation and responsibility.
3. Buying groceries.
You are already running low on money and now you have to buy your own food?? Wow, this just gets worse and worse. But once again, another important lesson of food and money management.
4. How to get out of your “clique”
From going out to lunch with your girlfriends to hanging out with the same people every weekend, most of us were stuck in a bubble of comfort in high school. However, college really changes the game. You can finally branch out and meet people. Although it may be horrifying, it is incredibly beneficial for self-growth.
5. How to actually study.
High school was all fun and games. Most of the time, winging those quizzes and tests resulted in a high B and sometimes even an A. College is a whole new ball game. When you are not living up your social life, you are staring at flashcards and attempting to make sense of your notes that are all over the place.
6. Organization.
Speaking of notes that are all over the place, if you do not have your study material together, you will literally be ripping your hair out once finals come around.
7. Realizing that you're a little fish in a big pond.
Everyone knows everyone in high school. Many teachers pick favorites and have personal relationships with their students and everyone knows everyone's' business. In college, you are just a number. You may go all semester without ever speaking to your professor face-to-face. It is also completely normal to see a new face on campus every single day.
8. Realizing other peoples’ opinions just don’t matter.
Nobody really has room to judge here. Once you understand that 99% of students go to class looking as if they just rolled out of bed (which they probably did), you will suddenly feel a weight lifted off your shoulders. It does not matter what people think of you, just do your own thing!
9. Monitoring your own diet.
Nobody to prepare meals for you= time to make your own food. Sometimes you may be snacking on chips from 7/11 in between classes or eating ramen noodles for dinner, but for the most part, you do learn how to manage your own healthy-ish diet. You suddenly realize that eating unhealthy does, in fact, lead to unwanted consequences... aka the freshman 15.
10. Making sure you actually show up to class.
If you missed class in high school, you could just ask your teacher for the fill-in the blank notes and copy them down from a friend. You skip an important class in college and you suddenly feel as if you missed out on a solid three weeks.
11. Learning how to be self-motivated.
Parents are no longer there to pressure you to get your work done, read your assigned reading, and study for that dreadful chemistry test. It is now time to whip yourself into shape and figure out how to focused and get things done.
