Before you came to college, you may have thought you have your life together. But if you're like me, you didn't (and probably still don't). I had no clue about the minor ins-and-outs of college when I first arrived, but in a short period of time I picked up a few skills that I can keep with me. Here's five.
1. The art of napping.
When you're in college, you're going to be tired. It seems like sometimes, it's impossible to get a full eight hours of sleep, so you'll probably nap whenever you can throughout the day. Ten or 15 minutes to spare? Nap.
2. Mastering a budget.
If you only have a certain amount of money in your bank account, you'll learn what you should splurge on. And if you're like me and you live on your minimum-wage paycheck, you know that more than half of it will go to things like sushi or coffee, instead of important things.
3. Fancy clothes aren't that important.
I'm not saying that once you go to college you dress poorly, but honestly, you could. In high school there were times when I would try hard to look nice, but in college, that is quite rare. You can usually find me in a sweatshirt and leggings and an expression on my face that reads, "I woke up like this."
4. Time. Management.
I didn't own a planner before I came to school. And now, it's my new BFF. Between classes, two different jobs, sorority obligations, and club meetings, it's really important to know what you have time to actually do and what you'd like to do. And I can thank my busy college schedule for that.
5. The truth about Greek life.
No, it's not just like the movies (usually). Greeks don't just drink all day and night, they do other things, such as community service. They're also not all superficial, they're genuine human beings (shout out to you, AOII).
6. You won't lose your high school friends.
That is, if you don't want to. I remember everyone telling me that they lost touch with their best friends from high school, but I'm still equally as close with them as I always have been, and I'm a junior in college now. As long as you're both putting in an effort, you can make your friendships last.
7. Don't worry about your relationship status.
If you're with someone, great! And if you're not, that's great too. Everyone will want to give their opinion on what's best for you, but you're really the only person that can decide what's best for you. Just because you're single doesn't mean you're forever alone, and just because you're in a relationship doesn't mean you're missing out on life.