College can be some of the best four years of our lives. Moving out, making new friends, dorm life and excessive partying are all part of what makes it great. While there are many great things about life at a big university, there are downsides. Here are a few experiences that all college students will encounter.
1. You’re going to take classes that you have no interest in.
Before you start taking classes related to your major, you will be required to take prerequisites. Some will be more fascinating than the others — others will be downright sleep inducing. My advice: save your classes with a less interesting topic for later in the day, this way you won’t be as tempted to sleep in.
2. You’ll find a new hobby
College is a world of new opportunities. Whether you’re interested in sports, video games, or nature there is a club for you. Regardless of your ability, you’ll be shocked at the new interests you take up.
3. You’ll miss mom’s cooking
Although cafeteria food seems great for the first few weeks, it gets old –fast. Halfway through the semester when you’re eating cereal or ice cream for every meal, you’ll realize how great of a cook your mom was.
4. Student athletes might leave you starstruck
It’s always interesting seeing everyone’s reaction to seeing the basketball team in the dining hall. Yes, they eat too. Sometimes we forget that they’re students and need privacy just like us.
5. You’ll make a drunken mistake
Drunken hookups are right of passage for college students. With the amount of parties, drinking and people that are oh-so-cute when you’re intoxicated on campus, it’s bound to happen. One minute you’re dancing with friends and the next you’re in the back of the car with a guy you think might be from your psych class.
6. You might go a while without eating
Between classes, studying, clubs and dining hall hours you’re bound to miss a meal or two. If you live off campus, you might be spending your money on things that aren’t groceries. Either way, college students will learn to cope with little food.
7. A week’s worth of homework will be crammed into one day
With all the events that go on during the week and weekend, you might be tempted to put off your homework. Writing an entire essay on a Sunday night after a weekend of partying isn’t the best idea, but we all test our abilities anyway.
8. You’ll find any reason to drink
Margarita Monday? Wine Wednesday? Thursday Thursday? With all the stress that college puts on students, you may need a little help relaxing. It’s no doubt that college students party harder than any other demographic, so we make up holidays as a way to justify our drinking habits.
9. Your living situation won’t be up to the standards you’re used to
Whether you’re living in an old dorm or an apartment with roommates, nothing will be as comfortable as mom and dad’s house. If you think you can cover up your cement dorm walls with decorations, you’re wrong. Things will fall off the wall in the middle of the night as if they were meant to be left bare. That cheap desk you put together without help? That will probably break too.
10. Regardless of the negatives, you know you love it
College is an entirely new experience. After graduation, we are plagued with real-world responsibilities. No matter how terrible 8:00 am classes and homework deadlines are, we wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.
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