"College is a whole new ball game." That saying, and countless others like it, is something us college students hear all the time, but rarely do we take the time to consider just what it entails. The truth is, college is a whole new ball game, and for the first time, we are experiencing things without the safety net of comfortability we had while living at home. These are uncharted waters for so many of us, and in no particular order, here's a list of the things we took for granted.
1. Laundry
While some places have complimentary laundry services, that isn't the case everywhere. Then there's the fact that instead of walking into your home's laundry room whenever you want, you have to wait on everyone around you. And forget throwing a load in the dryer and going to run errands; now you have to consider the fact that there are people who will take your clothes. Doing laundry will never be the same.
2. Pets
I think part of the reason college kids are so obsessed with dogs, and any animal for that matter, is because we don't have the same kind of access to them as we did before. If you live in the dorms, odds are you aren't allowed to keep anything other than a fish, and if you live off campus, you probably don't have the time to take care of a pet.
3. Parking
I'm convinced that parking at any university is a nightmare. If you live on campus, you probably pay to park AKA you find the best available parking and leave your car there.
4. Full Sized Beds
Do you know how hard it is to get comfy in a twin XL? Very. One of the first things I do when I get home is run upstairs and flop onto my queen-sized bed. It is such a great feeling to be able to spread out and roll over without falling out of bed.
5. Private Bathrooms
Similar to the laundry situation, there are only so many showers available. This means that you have to perfectly time your shower time so that you get a free one. Not only that, but shower shoes. I went 18 years without having to wear shower shoes and I would happily go another 18, but unfortunately, here I am waiting for an open shower in my shower shoes.
6. Relationships
No matter the nature of the relationship (family, friends, boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.), I am so much more grateful for my relationships now than I was before leaving for college. The people who have stood by you up until this point are the people who are going to be there when you need them and this eye-opener has allowed me to be so much more invested in the friendships I make and maintain now.
7. Meals
Let's face it: there's a reason the Freshman 15 exists. Instead of home cooked meals, we often opt for the quickest, easiest, and cheapest option, and spoiler, it's usually not very healthy.
8. Getting Sick
Arguably the worst part of college is getting sick and not having someone there to take care of you. There's nothing quite like having your mom there for you when you feel like you're on the verge of death.
9. Classes
Before college, we had classes in one, maybe two, buildings. Now we're trekking all over campus trying to make it to our next class in 10 minutes. We walk for miles each day when we once only had to walk across the hallway.
10. Distance
That 10 minute drive between home and school is no more. If you're lucky, you live close enough to make it home on weekends, but if you're an out of state student, 3-day weekends are not only your new best friend but they are also the only way you ca visit home.
