Growing up, much that we did was prepare for our college experience. From saving money for our tuition to taking AP level classes. We did not however, prepare for the social lifestyle in college. To my personal delight, SUNY New Paltz has created some very different social conduct.
1. There is no such thing as jocks.
Once in college, many of the people who looked like jocks are freed from the title. These men have a certain physique and stance but they are not as grouped up and intimidating as they used to be. Now they interact more with other people with different sizes and characteristics. Once in college, one’s personality matters way more than one's looks.
2. Curvy girls are beautiful.
Body shaming was more evident in high school than in college. Now we see gorgeous, curvy individuals who are certified trainers and teach intensive physical classes. I’m not sure if it’s maturity or just the realization that much of media is bullsh*t, but people in college are more concerned about a healthy lifestyle as opposed to an obsessive need to fit in physical appearance.
3. Learning to be open minded.
Once we live on our own and are sharing a space, from our room to the entire campus -- with other peers, we tend to learn a lot about them. Everyone is amazingly unique, and college allows individuals to express these characteristics. Not everyone has the same morals, opinions and interests as you. As a result, we learn to be open minded to the all the beautiful minds we live with.
4. Appreciation for the little things.
Growing up, taking advantage of our parents was fairly easy and unintentional. Once in college, we quickly crave for homemade food and warm motherly hugs. Soon, we start appreciating all that our parents do for us, which creates a ripple effect of appreciation. From there, we open our eyes to many other aspects that we are thankful for. We appreciate the freedom, our friends, our adventures, our activities and our school.
5. Discovery.
Whoever said we discover ourselves best during high school was absolutely wrong. Due to the unique community we live in at New Paltz, we learn so much about our likes and dislikes. We learn what career path fits our personality, we learn what organizations we want to venture on but most importantly we learn our potential.
Everyone knows that college is just another chapter in our lives, but it also allows for many amazing memories.