After the first month of my junior year of college, I’ve come to realize how much my life has changed since I first moved to campus as a freshman. While for the most part I would say I have changed for the better, there are lots of telltale signs that my freshman days are long gone. Read on for 8 ways of knowing that you are definitely not a freshman anymore.
1. You have to study (no, really study)
College may have seemed stressful freshman year, but I find myself missing my gen ed classes almost every day.
2. You’re free from the dorms
This is both a blessing and a curse. Sure, off campus life allows you to avoid stingy dorm rules (hooray, candles!). But you have to cook for yourself. And clean for yourself. And pay rent . . .
3. Real life is much more *real*
As freshmen, we thought we had things all figured out. A few major changes later we may have realized that we definitely didn’t. And although it’s great to (hopefully) be well into your chosen program by now, the thought of getting internships in the next few semesters and going into the real world in just a few years is pretty terrifying.
4. Going out wears you out
Nothing makes you feel so old as knowing that your freshman year alcohol tolerance (or at least freshman year ability to avoid hangovers) far exceeds that of your later years.
5. You’re totally broke
One year of college isn’t cheap. But if you thought you were poor back then, you’d be amazed to see yourself now. Ramen noodles, anyone?
6. High school doesn’t matter anymore
At the beginning of college, high school was super important. After all, it was the closest thing to “glory days” that we had. Looking back at homecomings and basketball games now just makes us realize that we were way less cool than we thought (and we definitely shouldn’t have bragged about all those stories to our new college friends–whoops).
7. You’ve learned not to care what strangers think about you
As a freshman, I wouldn’t even go to the dining hall without makeup on. Now, I’m not above power naps in the library.
8. You have a new appreciation for home
The longer we spend away from home, the better it feels to go back. Although your parents might have repurposed your bedroom or remodeled the kitchen in the last few years, home will always be home, no matter how old we get.