Your first year at college is so exciting: you are living away from your parents, meeting new friends from all over the world, taking classes with top-notch professors, and occasionally even socializing with the opposite sex. What people gloss over about college is that it is also a time where you have to start acting like an adult. Growing up, all I wanted to be was an adult. Now, here I am on the cusp of adulthood, and I have discovered that I am very bad at it. Here are some of the adult decisions that I am particularly bad at making.
1. Should I get up an hour before my class starts and give myself time to eat breakfast and look presentable, or sleep until the last possible moment and then sprint to class?
Now, it may not be surprising to you that I always choose the dead sprint to class. Every single time. Even if I set my alarm eight different times and leave my phone as far away from my bed as possible, I go back to sleep. Even if I leave myself motivational notes on my mirror, I climb back into my beautiful, wonderful bed. Unfortunately, this means I always have to run to class and I am breathing like I’m in labor by the time I sit down. I’d like to take this time to formally apologize to whoever has to sit next to the pregnant dragon monster that is me in the mornings.
2. Should I get ahead on homework on light nights, orrrr watch an entire season of Breaking Bad?
I mean, come on. It’s Breaking Bad. I think my reflection on the Sociology reading can wait. Unfortunately, this means I end up pushing every task in my life to the last minute. For instance, the deadline for this article is in one hour and I just began.
3. Should I eat a nutritious meal and go to the gym, or eat whatever is in my room?
Now, sometimes I’ll go with the nutritious meal. Any adult decision that involves food strangely seems easier to make. However, I am currently sitting here contemplating walking the .002 miles to North Dining Hall tonight or eating an apple, peanut butter, and pretzel sticks. Also, the fact that Jimmy Johns has such freaky-fast delievery is unfair. Jimmy Johns gets here faster than it takes for me to walk to the dining hall.
4. Should I meet with my professors during office hours and understand what I’m learning, or burst out into tears when I open my textbook the night before the test?
By now, I’m sure you can guess which decision I make. Without fail, I ignore the concept of office hours. They are a mystical idea to me. Like maybe office hours are held in a whimsical land of wizards and centaurs?? If so, somebody please let me know because I would actually begin to attend those. I also never know where the office hours are held. “But that is so easy to figure out, Lael!” you may say to me. I know it is. I’m sure I can figure it out in a matter of seconds, but I choose not to.
5. Stay in on weekends when I have lot to do, or go out Thursday, Friday, and Saturday?
Now, we are in college which is a stage of semi-adulthood so I know I am not the only person who chooses to go out. However, when I do choose to stay in on weekends with a heavy workload, I never get anything done. In fact, if I tell you I am staying in to get work done, I can 100% guarantee that I am telling you a bold-faced lie. I am not doing any work. I am catching up on Breaking Bad.