You know that popular phrase, “If
I only knew then what I know now?” Sigh. Why is it so true? After two and a
half years as a college student, I’ve finally learned the truths to those
college myths. I’ve also realized a lot about what it means to learn more about
yourself during those four years of experience–the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Let’s face it, college entails a
lot of new ordeals and exciting encounters. Yes, you drink (only if you want
to!), you study and work your little butt off, you go to “college” parties,
meet a lot of interesting (and sometimes questionable people), and honestly,
you screw up sometimes. The ride is always fun, but there are always those
little bits and pieces I wish I had more knowledge of beforehand. So, here I
am, sharing the wisdom of a junior in college…but let’s be real, I still have a
lot to learn myself.
1. The
“Freshmen Fifteen” is totally preventable: Parents, friends, college
graduates, and peers always try to scare you with the “freshmen fifteen”
factor. They seem to believe that all you will do during your first year of an
unfamiliar lifestyle is eat microwaveable pizzas, drink beer five days a week,
and sit on your futon Saturday and Sunday afternoons watching reruns of “Grey’s
Anatomy” and cheesy eighties movies.
Of course, you will have days
like these. But, in reality, the freshmen fifteen is so easily avoided. For
one, most schools have a gym. You do not have to go every day or on a regular
schedule, but it’s there for when you feel a little lethargic and want to get
yourself moving. Even the most exercise-phobic college students will check out
the gym when it’s at their disposal. Second, your cafeteria will hopefully
offer a variety of food choices besides pizza and grilled cheese. You’ll get
sick of greasy food, believe me. And, for those of you who don’t already know,
drinking alcohol is an appealing part of college.
For those of you who decide not
to drink–that’s a great personal choice. I chose to drink as a freshman, and I
learned to control myself. It can be considered one of those things that once
you get a taste, you go a little crazy. But, like I said, you’ll learn when the
right time to drink is and how much to drink is right for you. It most likely
will not be your life at college.
2. You
may not find your husband or wife at college: One of the most ANNOYING college
myths is that supposedly everybody meets their future spouse at their college
of choice. Considering the fact that I am still single, I’m starting to believe
it just isn’t true. For some, it will happen. I’m sure the fact that I attend a
small, private college with a 60:40 girl-to-guy ratio doesn’t give me any
advantage( I know, you’re probably wondering how the hell i got stuck in that
rut). For the most part though, at least when it comes to guys, they will not
be dating material. When the male population spreads their wings past their
small high school, chances are they are going to want to get to know more than
one female bird at college, where there are more options. Every one knows that
girls are more sensitive and more prone to relationships. There will be
interests and romances and nights where you feel like you’ve met the one to
walk with you hand in hand down the quad. It’s always possible, but don’t be
defeated if the next week they tell you they’re talking to the girl in your
sociology class. They will eventually grow up. Just be patient until they get
bored of being single. You’ll start to see that more often around your junior
and senior year, I can almost guarantee it. But, if you are in a happy, healthy
relationship at college as of now, I not only commend you, but am also a tad
jealous of you!
3. It’s
OK to slack off once in a while: Now, when I say slack off, I don’t mean leave your
research paper until the day before it’s due or totally neglect to study for
your test that’s in a few days. What I mean, is that you’ll learn to live by
the motto that “Everything that has to get done, will get done.” I pride myself
on being an A-student, but it took me a year or so to learn that I don’t always
have to stay in the library until all hours of the night just to get some
reading done. I’ve missed out on some fun nights or group dinners with friends
because I was paranoid about getting work done by a certain time. As a freshman
and sophomore, I thought that If I didn’t get something done by the time I had
set, it wouldn’t be my “best” work. If you haven’t already, you will learn that
pushing things to the side once in a while will not threaten your GPA or your
ability to score high marks. If you have faith in your academic capabilities
and trust your work ethic, all of your hard work will pay off in a positive
way.
4. You
will find lifetime friends at college: So this “myth” may be true, at
least in my case. The greatest part of meeting friends at college is that it
gives you a new perspective of where people come from. Before college, you tend
to think everybody will be like the people you went to high school with for
four years. You have a very little idea of the different opinions, trends,
routines, and even language that arise from different states. I was the same
exact way–every one was a New Yorker! Every one hung out in Wendy’s parking
lots! Every one came from the suburbs where there were traffic lights at every
street and a convenience store on every corner! Every one has been to New York
City! That’s not the case at all. Instead, your horizons expand. You learn
about what they did for fun in high school and you visit their hometowns and
enjoy the experience of something totally new. Even if you commute to college,
you end up learning about people who you may have passed by one the street but
knew nothing about. You end up bonding over college itself, which is something
you could never do with friends at home or from your high school. That in
itself makes it special. High school wasn’t always peaches and cream for me, so
college gave me new opportunities for meeting people. And let me tell you, the
memories I have made will be stories to tell my kids one day! Okay, not every
memory will be shared with my kids, but you get the point.
5. You don’t have to decide your future career/major the second you step foot on campus: If you have no idea what you want to do with your life as far as your career goes, don’t feel the pressure to decide right away. You can take any class you want your first few semesters of college–psychology, drama, music, anthropology, women’s studies, Chinese, and art, among many others. The point is to make mistakes, and to figure out what you’re not interested in to get you one step closer to figuring out what your true passion is. I chose a major based on what I already knew I excelled in, but what if I could have been the new Freud after taking more psychology classes? I may never know! Don’t be afraid if you’re entering the last half of college and you’re still unsure if you made the right choice. I know that for myself, I want to pursue graduate school and do something different with the English and Mass Communication degrees I will be receiving. Also, pursuing a graduate degree these days is highly looked upon. And, depending what college or university you go to, you may even get to create your own major. You might be overwhelmed with how may options you have when it comes to your choice of study, so take the time to weave through them all. But, remember, all work and no play is never fun…or healthy! |
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