With the decision to move away to college follows the responsibility of being an adult. Not only are you faced with making life-changing choices, but you learn to be more independent. While mom and dad made day-to-day tasks look easy, going to college makes you gain a new appreciation for all that they did. Here are 10 things you realize when you move away to college.
When you move away to college, you begin to miss the little things that you took for granted. One of those things being the comfort of your childhood bed. As college students, it’s easy to agree that college dorm beds aren’t the most comfortable. Not only are they small and cramped, but the mattress can be as stiff as a board. That’s why, when you move away to college, you begin to miss the comfort of your childhood bed and look forward to sleeping in it when you go home for holiday breaks.
Throughout high school, you’re expected to be friends with everyone. Not only would you see your peers each and every day during class, but there’s a good chance you hung out with them outside of school as well. When you move away to college, you’re instantly surrounded by thousands and thousands of people. While you may see the same faces multiple times a week, others you might not see until the day of graduation. With moving to college comes the freedom to choose who you associate yourself with. In addition to this, you’ll learn to value relationships more and that you don’t need multiple friends in order to be happy.
We’ve all heard the jokes and stories about the freshman 15. With options like cheeseburgers, french fries, pizza, and tons of other grease covered foods, it’s hard to not pack on a little weight. For the first couple of weeks, over even months, college students will rave about being able to eat ice cream for breakfast and avoiding greens on their plates. However, halfway through the first semester, you begin to take notice of the toll it can have on your body and opt for a large bowl of fruit instead.
Let’s be honest, before filling out your college applications, you had no idea what your social security number was. Now, after being in college, you have it engraved in your brain. From filling out job applications to forms at the doctor’s office, you’re going to need to know your social security number for everything. Who knew that a nine-digit number would play such an important role in your life.
Before you move away to college, it would be a good idea to learn how to wash your own laundry. While washing your laundry may seem like common knowledge, there’s a good majority of students who’ve never used a washing machine before. If you run out of clean clothes to wear, you’re going to have to make a stop to the laundry room. Just remember, never mix white clothing with colors.
One of the best parts about college is being able to create your own schedule. Rather than relying on mom and dad to remind you to not be late, you’re going to have to manage on your own. If you’re a heavy sleeper and you have an 8 a.m., make sure to set at least five alarms in order to make it to class on time. If you have four classes back to back with no time to eat, you’re going to have to pack some snacks or wait until dinner. Nothing says being an adult like setting a routine and following your own schedule.
Whether you worked a job in high school or not, you’re going to want to find a source of income when you move away to college. Although meals are provided on campus, you’re going to be in charge of paying for transportation, funding last minute trips, purchasing textbooks, etc. With multiple work studies offered on campus and part-time jobs around town, it should be easy to secure some form of income. With your journey into adulthood, you begin to realize that life can be expensive. In order to venture outside of campus, you’re going to need some extra cash in your pocket.
Although people’s opinions may have mattered in high school, they sure as hell won’t when you move away to college. By the time you get to college, you begin to realize that what other people think doesn’t actually matter. While you may have thought that people’s opinions of you defined who you were, that thought process soon disappears. College is great for learning to be comfortable with yourself and exploring different horizons. If someone has a negative impression of you, so be it. Not everyone is going to like you in life and not everyone can be pleased. Rather than focusing on the negatives, cut out the toxicity and focus on bettering yourself.
After months or even years, of eating the same dining hall food, you’re going to quickly grow sick of it. Although not all college food tastes terrible, there’s nothing better than eating a home-cooked meal. One of the perks of going home for breaks is being able to eat meals with fresh ingredients and tons of flavor. When you move away to college, a home-cooked meal may be all that you’re craving.
Once you get to college, you’re going to be faced with many different opportunities. Not only will these opportunities be learning experiences, but they’ll also have you questioning your future. Although college is meant to help you establish a plan for your future, it can also be super overwhelming as well. Truth is, we can never be certain of the future. You can never predict the challenges or successes you’re going to face. Rather than stressing about the future, focus on the things you have control over now. Set goals for yourself and find inspiration that you may be seeking. Worrying about what you’ll be doing years from now will only result in unwanted anxiety.
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