We are told these four years are our first taste of the world without the worry of borders and rules holding back our passions and ventures. But for some reason we sacrifice this taste of freedom for structure, rules and groupthink before our four years are up. And all for what? “My kind of people,” “friends to party with,” and one of my personal favorites “to make a big school feel smaller.”
Not that wanting any of these things is a crime, of course. I, like every other wide-eyed freshman was craving that sense of belonging and that euphoric experience from every film about college. But after falling back into routine of rules and subjecting to a higher authority, I have realized that I have missed out on the opportunity to live free, without being tied down to the reality of the real world or the restrictions of my parent’s household.
Unlike the lifestyle of the truly free college student, I must attend to the obligations of my extra-curricular activities. “Skip it!” one might say, but if I did that, I would jeopardize losing the friendships I have created through such extracurriculars. Yet, if I truly lived a free experience, I would spend my Sunday afternoons the way I wanted to, check my email when convenient and not think twice of what I post on social media.
But for some reason, me and many other students give up small freedoms similar to the ones mentioned. And you know why? In life, working towards a superordinate goal, creating a routine and having a niche of people to see regularly allows us to find a purpose beyond our academia. Even though some of you may argue that you want to be independent, it is within human instinct to want to be useful. To have people who need you. To have a cause that depends on your presence.