The college experience shouldn’t be one to squander. Whether you’re a freshman, a grad student, or a transfer, nothing should ever be taken for granted. However, it is okay to be hesitant about some things as well as have a legit worry about whatever it is an individual can go through. But sometimes, the very things you could be afraid of are just myths and exaggerations on college life and culture. Let’s look at the five things you shouldn’t be terrified of when going through your own college experience.
Myth #1: The Freshman 15: AKA Everyone gains 15 pounds their first year
The one that seems to worry nearly everyone is the idea that being stressed all the time leads to stress-eating which leads to massive weight gain. While there are scientific facts that would conclude that stress-eating is an actual thing, it is highly doubtful that every college student will gain 15 pounds in a college year. For starters, students that primarily eat a lot, are usually just snacking. In college academia, there never really isn’t enough time to conveniently eat multiple full courses or meals in a day. There also to be an account of how many students dorm and how many commute, add into the fact that every different student has different financial situations making the access to food different for everyone. While it’s certainly not possible that there are a number of people who may gain a couple pounds here and there, it isn’t to the point where everyone continually stress eats to the tune of gaining double digit weight.
Myth #2: College is full of Pretentious Hipsters:
It’s quite clear how often we think about the certain types of people we’ll run into in college. One of the reasons that gets us excited for college is the opportunity to meet different people who are as motivated and weird as us. But then there’s the idea of the “Hipster”. The group of people who follow outside the cultural mainstream. The dude in the beanie with a guitar who refuses to go to mainstream chains and only goes to more local underground joints, or perhaps the girl who only listens to music on Vinyl and only watches movies if they’re from the Criterion Collection. While hipsters do exist in different places across the United States, the possiblity of running into a large number of them or interacting with one in college are slim to none. Most of the people you’ll meet in college will have diverse personalities, sure. But that doesn’t make any of them hipsters. You’re just in an environment where people come from different places with different experiences, so every personality is a mixing pot of others. Hipsters are nearly just exaggerated forms of subculture that has been satarized more and more over the years. So if you find yourself talking to someone who listens to alternative music and only eats organic foods, that’s not necessarily a hipster. It just might be a person who likes eating healthy and listening to softer music.
Myth #3: Your chosen College Major will Set up your entire Career and Future
A myth about choosing your major is that if you don’t decide right away what you want to do, then your career path will forever be unknown. That’s not necessarily true. People don’t realize that whichever major they choose, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll only get to do what they’ve learned from courses. Majors are intended to help students explore their interests and determine how they want to further develop their interests. That’s what college is all about. Most people who become communications majors don’t end up working as a news anchor right away, and math majors don’t necessarily become mathematicians or teachers after they graduate. Because everything truly dilutes down to what you want to do and what is keen to your interests. Take time to discover who you want to be and what you want to do. There’s no pressure.
Myth #4: All Students are expected to graduate in four years
Most students believe that graduating college is a four year ordeal, all said and done. But there isn’t any problem with taking longer to complete your degree. College isn’t high school. Not everyone has to graduate at the same pace at the same time. It all depends on what you’re studying and how much you choose to invest your time in studies and courses. Some students finish in three years based on their previous high school academics allowing them to skip past g.e’s. Others may finish in five because their major has many prerequisites and required classes. Every situation is different and whether you graduate sooner or later, it’ll still be a rewarding, remarkable accomplishment.
Myth #5: Students use ADHD medication to boost their Energy and Focus
When it comes to midterms and finals, studies have shown that nationwide 30% of students may take non-prescribed ADHD medicine to boost their focus and attention span for studying. However, research has shown that it instead causes increase in blood pressure, headaches, depression, and sleep deprivation. There should never be a point in which you turn to pills to help you focus. All you need to do is plan and time your study sessions and organize which classes you want to study for first. Every final and midterms is different as well depending on your professor, so there’s no pressure to worry about imminent failure.
When it comes to college, there are obvious reasons to be skeptical about certain things. However, your skepticism shouldn’t keep you from discovering yourself and what you want to do in the future. Have fun, meet people, work hard, and don’t let the little things affect how you want to live.