Prospective college students are often warned of the tremendous workload and difficult courses taught at college. What they fail to warn us about is all the other adulting responsibilities that we also must endure. Leaving home is an exciting experience, but with it comes lots of responsibility for self-growth, preparing us for the real world. A common misconception I had was that being all “grown up” was achieved by simply reaching a certain age. However, there are many struggles that college students face during the transition of becoming an adult. If you are a college student, you will probably relate to these 9 struggles of adulting in college: 1. Waking up
Sleep is precious in college so having to wake up for early morning classes can be difficult. Sometimes we would much rather sleep through the class than attend it, but nevertheless we drag ourselves out of bed—even if that means setting many alarms, minutes after each other, or making the sacrifice of skipping breakfast.
2. Doing the Laundry
It isn’t until college when we realize we took our guardians for granted for washing our dirty clothes or that we didn’t have to fork over all our loose change just to have clean clothes. In college, t seems like there are two types of people: those who make doing laundry a weekly routine and those who wait until they have absolutely no clothes left to re-wear. 3. Errand Shopping
At home, it seems as if the fridge is constantly stocked with food, the bathroom with soaps, toothpaste and toiletries, and the medicine cabinet filled with medicine for any common sickness. But in college, when the milk goes bad or we run out of toothpaste, running to the closest store can be draining. Sometimes we cut our losses and simply choose to deal with eating dry cereal—if it means not having to run errands.
4. Making Doctor Appointments
When we were young it seemed as if doctor appointments were scheduled by the slightest cough. Now, when we are sick or are due for a checkup, calling the doctor’s office can be daunting. Not only do we have to find the office’s phone number, but we must find a date that works for us, collect our paperwork, AND talk to someone! It seemed so much easier when the appointment just “appeared” on our calendar. 5. Cleaning
Whether it be washing the dishes, vacuuming the floor, organizing the room, or taking out the trash—wow, that list was stressful in itself—cleaning can be burdensome. Sometimes it feels as in just a day after cleaning everything is messy again. But hey, can’t we just push the trash down or shove the mountain of clutter to the side—out of sight, out of mind!
6. Finding that “right” salon
Back home it’s easy; we know which salons we like and which ones to avoid like the bubonic plague. But living in a new area, we are clueless to which salons are “right” for us—reviews can only help so much! So, we have the scary decision to make of trying a new salon or safely waiting until we finally go back home for break—even if that means growing out our hair or having outgrown nails. 7. Budgeting
Most college students understand the struggle of having to live off very minimal financial support. Between classes and a heavy workload, having a finally supportive job is difficult and often not feasible. Thus, budgeting is important for a college student. When stores are having sales, it’s a dream come true to college students—even if it is just paying $5 less a month for Spotify Premium or getting 2 bags of chips for the price of 1!
8. Balancing Responsibilities
Running from class to practice to a club meeting to a work shift and so on and so forth is exhausting. We have all been there. As a college student, we have so many expectations and responsibilities to juggle, between both academics and our social life. It is crucial for us to stay organized because, in college, we do not have guardians or teachers to remind us of our responsibilities. At the same time, it is also important for us to have good self-care. (Check out Danielle Polanco’s “14 Ways to De-Stress” article) 9. Always Being Exhausted
Sleep debt seems almost as inevitable as college debt. By staying up late for many nights studying for exams, waking up early for classes, and spending the entire day running to and from classes and extracurriculars takes a large toll on our minds and bodies. Naps and cups of coffee become essential for a college students’ everyday functioning. Being able to sleep in on the weekends is a true blessing—but even then, sometimes it is still difficult to shake that drained feeling.