When the word college comes to mind, one may think of the well-articulated song titled “I Love College” by Asher Roth. His well renowned lyrics put a spotlight on beer pong, dollar slice pizza and making freshman do crazy things, which in actually isn’t too far from the truth. On the flip side, the abundance of over priced textbooks, student debt and chronic sleep deprivation is also constantly on the mind of any undergraduate student. However, I am here to talk about the happy medium of the two. In between the crazy Thursday night parties and long hours in the library cramming for a test, there are parts of college that should be recognized, and ultimately taken advantage of.
The first and arguably the most important part of college is food. The multiple dining halls, coffee shops and quick marts allow for the fastest form of dining, and the freedom to choose what we want to eat. Although these places have a plethora of not-so-good-for-you foods, they also actually have a good amount of healthy options (I know, it surprised me too). You don’t have any parents telling you to eat your greens or finish your meal before you can get that slice of chocolate cake, so it’s completely up to you when thinking about what food you are going to put into your body. Although the fried stuff may sound yummy, I suggest you explore more of the dining hall and find food options beyond the quick and easy chicken tenders and fries. It will be a lot more rewarding and a lot better for you. Now’s your chance to take control of your eating habits, so why not do it in a way that will make you feel great? To take it a step further, you can also always grab stuff from the dining hall, bring it back to your dorm and make up your own recipes. If you’re really feeling it, you can turn into a 30-year-old mom for a sec and check out the quick and easy recipes that the amazing world of Pinterest has to offer J
One part of college that is never dreaded is the amount of free time you have. Depending upon your class schedule, everyone has different amounts of empty space between lectures for themselves. Although I think you should get your homework done with the time that you have, occasionally you should take a moment for some “me time” to just relax and recharge. This could be by taking a nap on the main lawn (watch for squirrels), taking a stroll around campus, or even going off campus to try some new things that you have never done. Especially if you are in a new state or even just a new city, I bet you there are things that your school’s city has to offer that you didn’t have at home. So, go have some fun! Bring some friends, go alone, or bring your mom with you on face time, but overall just take a break from the chaotic workweek and breathe. College is a stressful time, but if you use the free time to your advantage, it won’t seem so bad. Being able to use the extra time you have in a mentally productive way is going to help you in the long run and be your best friend when finals week comes along.
Speaking of parents, I think the time and distance you have away from them is a great time to get closer. That may seem extremely contradictory, but here’s my reasoning; being away from people makes the time you have with them extra special. The fact that you are away from the people you have spent the past 18 years with is probably super weird and crazy because it is super weird and crazy. Being with them all the time, you probably neglected to ask how their day was going or just sat down and talked with them because they were always around. But now that you live apart, I think it’s a great time to call them up every once and awhile and see how they are doing. Try not to call only when you need money (Thanks dad, my Trader Joe’s trips wouldn’t be possible without you) or when they ask you to call. Be a good kid and make sure the ‘rents know you care. College gives us an amazing amount of independence and responsibility, but it’s also important to keep your connections, and possibly make them even stronger.
The next topic of discussion focuses on your professors. We have all had good professors and we have all had bad professors, but there is one thing that these people have in common: A passion for their subject. Whether your teacher hands out donuts every Friday with a friendly “TGIF!” or they grade the essay you spend weeks on way lower than you deserve, the devotion for their area of study is the same. Being in college gives you an opportunity to talk to these professors and learn more about not only the subject as a whole, but also their personal experience with it. Even if you’re not undeclared, I think we all have some confusion on what direction we want to take our lives, so being able to learn about someone else’s experience with a subject that is potentially interesting to you, can really help when trying to figure out your career goals. And don’t be scared to ask them about their lives, I’m sure anyone would be flattered to know that someone has an interest in how they got to where they are now.
Last but certainly not least are clubs. I remember within the first hour of being a freshman on my college campus, there were so many club tables set up, looking for new members. Majority of them were things that I had never even heard of, but once I learned more about them, they actually turned out to be really cool! I had no idea what Her Campus was, but once I took time to see what it was all about, it turned out to be my favorite involvement on campus. In addition to the hundreds of clubs that are buzzing around college, there are also always social events going on. Sometimes hosted by specific clubs, sometimes not, these events are a great way to get out of your dorm and try something new. I know for LMU, there were events like a silent disco, playing with puppies and even cake decorating. They are a fun and free way to hang out with friends or even meet some new people too. Another plus, there’s pretty much always food at these events, and who doesn’t want a free meal?
To wrap things up, college isn’t such a bad place after all. Yes, there are going to be times when you will just want to give up and go home, but just know that those bad times are temporary. I promise you, the majority of your four years at your university are going to be an absolute blast. And if you truly take advantage of all the incredible opportunities right in front of you, you will be doing yourself a favor and ultimately creating a better college experience for yourself.