Most students can agree that college is a huge learning process. You’re forced to switch from your daily high school routine where you knew exactly what to expect out of each day, and you have to learn to adapt quickly.
In high school, I had my routine down pat. I woke up at 6:30 am, had breakfast, drove to school and sat in the same chair at the same table every day in a locker room big enough to fit my tiny grade for the entire school year. I did this unconsciously – that’s what I was used to and that’s what was expected of me.
Despite having this routine, I never fully realized just how much I was used to having a set schedule, even if it was somewhat effortless and unplanned. Yet, as I embarked upon my freshman year of college, I realized just how much I liked knowing what to expect out of each situation, simply because I liked to know what I was getting myself into.
I had to figure out how to embrace the inconsistency of college, as opposed to running away from it. In other words, I had to adjust my way of thinking from relying on structure to embracing flexibility. Once I realized that, I went back to the basics and targeted the inner simplicities of my childhood. I figured, why not utilize subjects I already understand to gain a better comprehension of college? From that point on, whenever I faced a situation I didn’t know how to handle, or simply didn’t understand, I reverted back to my childlike mindset and thought, “What would a Peanut do?”
1. “Be yourself! No one can say you’re doing it wrong.”
We all know that a class favorite character, Linus van Pelt, was always himself no matter what situation he was in and regardless of who might judge him. With his blanket on his shoulder and his thumb in his mouth, Linus did what he pleased despite what others thought of him. Even though in some cases he was viewed as the odd ball, like when he watched the rise of The Great Pumpkin alone, Linus taught me that even if what I like is different from the crowd, I should never change who I am just to blend in. If I stand out from the rest, I guess I’ll just be “the brightest in the group.”
2. “Just thinking about a friend makes you want to do a happy dance, because a friend is someone who loves you in spite of your faults.”
Over the course of my freshman and (partially) sophomore year, I’ve learned that the friends you make in college are incredibly essential to not only your life, but to your daily routine as well. Something that hit me immediately once I got to college was the fact that I couldn’t just walk over to my mom sitting at the kitchen table sipping on her fourth cup of coffee when I had a problem and needed advice. Like the theme of this article suggests, you simply have to adjust your perspective. One minute you’ll have an exam and the next you’ll be running across campus to host a fundraiser. Even if you’re someone like me who thinks she can balance everything on her own, sometimes it’s okay to ask for help from the friends that will be there to take away the stress.
Characters like Woodstock and Snoopy, who may not seem to go together in harmony, counterbalance one another in a loving and caring friendship. Even though Woodstock never utters a word and there are times where Snoopy simply cannot stand Woodstock, the two constantly look to one another for advice and a shoulder to lean on.
You see, you’re going to be surrounded by the same people almost every single day while you’re in college, so you might as well branch out. Because I guarantee you will find friends who will always care for you despite your weird quirks and embarrassing flaws. For embracing these qualities, and many more, is what make a friendship so special.
3. “What’s the good of living if you don’t try a few things?”
I know we’ve all heard this one many times before. It’s a rule that’s been drilled into our heads from the moment we learned to say our first words. I’m here to tell you, with my wisdom and satirical anecdotes, that yes, there is a reason why we hear this saying so often!
Our comfort zone is something we’ve all grown accustomed to over the years. For Charlie Brown, comfort always resides in a game of baseball. But like everyone else, he’s sometimes forced to try something new, like kicking a football with full force. Every once in a while, we’re faced with new challenges we simply can’t escape. For some of us, our biggest challenge so far has been coming to college.
In college, you get new things thrown at you on the daily. Being the mature, intelligent student I know you are, you simply have to figure out how to deal with them quickly and rationally. Even if your attempts fail, you should never, and I repeat, never run away from new things. You’ll end up regretting it once you see your classmate’s article on a nationally renowned website and your roommate running for student office. You simply have try your best to embrace the new. Even though it may be difficult, we must all remember that, “in the book of life, the answers aren’t in the back!”
Ultimately, college can be very hard. But it’s even harder if you forget the lessons you’ve been taught. I simply ask that you never forget how important your childhood favorites are. You loved them for a reason, and the lessons you learned from characters such as Snoopy, Linus and Charlie Brown will always provide you with some of the greatest satirical advice. Look to these characters for newfound insight if you’re ever stuck in Charlie Brown’s “I got a rock” phase and are trying your best to embrace Snoopy’s “never stress over what you can’t control and never worry about what isn’t yours” outlook on life.