When I decided to quit working and finish my bachelor’s degree, I was a little worried about whether or not I could handle college full-time. I liked school, but I wasn’t sure I would make it…Right now, I’d say those worries are a laughing matter.
You guys, college is the easiest thing you will ever do. I’m not joking and here’s why (to those of you in college with children, who work full-time or have other exceptions, don’t be offended. This probably isn’t for you):
1. College is not adult-ing
Wake up in the morning, go to class and do some homework. That’s your job. The rest of your time is your own to Netflix binge, workout or do whatever else you choose to do. To the kids who fall asleep in class or the one who gives a never-ending monologue about how rough their life is, it’s not. College is literally children pretending to be adults, only we don’t really do anything adult at all. We get handed food, entertainment and cash on little cards from our parents bank accounts. To those who have more than two classes in a day, heaven forbid you might have to be somewhere 8-5 and chances are, you’re not even there 8-5 anyway.
2. Being hung-over is not acceptable in the real world
I understand, you’re twenty. You are invincible. You must drink on a Tuesday, and a Wednesday and Thursday’s practically the weekend, right? So you show up to class in shades and somebody else’s clothing and proceed to pretend like you’re only 5% alive. Everyone gets to hear who threw up and where. Did you know that in the real, adult world you actually cannot be intoxicated like it’s a professional hobby?…I know, it’s cruel being an adult.
3. Other people exist.
Every once in awhile, there’s a child on campus, some faculty or staff’s offspring…and I’m not joking when I say, us college age kids stare at it like it’s some foreign object. What is this small thing running around and how do we get away from it? College is like a hyper-overload of peer time. We live with our friends, eat with our friends and play with our friends. Every single person is your age, give or take a few years, and the rest of the world just sort of functions elsewhere….But as a real adult someday, you will not be entirely surrounded by peers, and you’d better learn real quick how to relate with other people, both young and old.
4. Life is hard, much harder than this.
Appreciate college for what it is, a privileged few years given to us by our parents to discover ourselves. But don’t fool yourself, it’s not real life. Life is work, and more hard work. Life is bills, and children and broken refrigerators. Life is kids in your bed at two in the morning and learning to live in service to someone besides yourself. It’s monotonous. It’s not a party, but it can be joy-filled if you choose to see it that way.
Seriously, working seven to five, taking care of two toddlers was much harder than this, but I’m grateful. Grateful for the time to build myself as a person and make memories. Cheers to the (probably) easiest two years of my life. Bottle it up, because we’re all in for a shock come graduation day.
