Moving to college is a big adjustment. There are no rules and there's no one to tell you right from wrong. However, there are still plenty of lessons to be learned and plenty of mistakes to be made.
Living on your own for the first time will make you realize some of the things they bugged you about growing up really paid off. No matter how many times you didn't want to run errands with your mom, or do your own laundry, your parents were simply preparing you for the next chapter of your life.
1. Freedom is great, but eventually, you will realize you don't know how to live on your own.
That first load of laundry? Most people need help with that. What happens when you spill something on your carpet or when you have to go grocery shopping? Chances are you'll miss when your parents were there to help you do things. Now it's all you. It's even worse when you know what you're doing and your roommate doesn't. No, you will not wash their clothes for them or teach them how to fold their laundry.
2. Not having a curfew is great, until someone comes back to the dorms and wakes you up at two in the morning.
Sure there's no curfew, but when you have class at eight am, just like your parents have work, it really kills your mood to be woken up by the not-so-quiet-actions that your roommate is making while stumbling into bed from the fraternity late night.
3. Having fun parents is a blessing and a curse.
It's awesome seeing your parents for the first time in months. They'll take you to dinner and buy you things at Walmart, but some definitely go back to their college days when you take them out on the square.
4. Someway, somehow, you will need to learn how to budget your money.
Whether your parents give you an allowance, or you've been saving since the beginning of summer, you will have to learn how to budget. Nights on the square and pizza at two in the morning sounds great until you have to pay your sorority dues and realize you've spent $700 within the first semester.
5. Remembering your Ps and Qs really pays off.
Saying please and thank you to all of the people who work hard to make campus your home will go a long way. They are working to make this a better place for you, and showing appreciation will brighten their day and help build a stronger community.
Once you move away, you'll miss your parents. From being in the comfort of your own home and knowing that you had people who care about you, college can feel a bit different than what we're all used to. Like I said earlier, there's plenty of things to be learned and mistakes to be made, but somehow we're prepared for it and it's all one giant learning experience. Just remember not to take home for granted.
