Time and time again the shockingly accurate comparison has been made between toddlers and college students. And frankly, this could not be truer and should probably be added in all textbooks that there is a new stage of development between ages 18-22 that closely resembles the behaviors of a 3-year-old.
Many articles have expanded on this similarity, but here are more examples to fuel the fire and to add some hardcore pieces of evidence to the credibility of this phenomenon.
1. Diet
Once you move off campus or no longer have a meal plan your diet dramatically changes and resembles that of a toddler. Both college kids and toddlers live off of mac and cheese, pizza, and...dinosaur chicken.
2. Nap Time
Whether it's because you've only been on this earth for three years or because you've been studying 5 chapters in the library for the past 7 hours and still know nothing, the most essential part of the day for college kids and toddlers is nap time. Without it, nothing would ever get done.
3. Crying over little things... or for no reason at all
Toddler: cries when hungry, tired, wants toy, just for fun
Student: cries when hungry, tired, looks at agenda, just for fun
Coincidence? No. Not at all.
4. Lack of funds
The most important thing that college students and toddlers have in common is that they are both absolutely broke. $0 in the wallet broke. Zilch. Nada. Nothing.
5. Ability to be mesmerized by TV
A toddler will not look up unless you shout their name 5 times while they are watching Paw Patrol, similar to a college kid curled up in their bed like some beast after binge watching 5 hours of Grey's Anatomy reruns all day long.
6. Random temper tantrums
Just as a 3-year-old does, the wild college student will act out just because or make situations difficult and dramatic for no good reason at all. Temper tantrums among this age group are also highly likely to occur when food is dropped, alcohol is spilled, or Netflix reloads on 99% for 10 plus minutes.
7. Thinking your grown
Little kids and students think that they are completely grown up and independent from the parental units, until a minor inconvenience happens and we need backup. A toddler is grown until they need to be fed, while a college kid is grown until they need to file their tax return or they have a flat tire.
8. Lastly, the need for parents
Nothing has changed since being 3-years-old and when times get rough both ages yell out, "I want my mom" and "I wanna go home."
