College 4 Realz...... Myth Vs. Reality

There are a lot of common sayings or facts about college that simply are not true, or are exaggerated. Keep in mind that it totally depends on the size of the college, atmosphere and the people you hang around, but in my particular experience, here are 5 facts I have discovered:

 

1. You CAN balance your sleep, studying and social life.
True, during the end of the semester or during weeks with a bunch of tests, homework and studying can get a bit intense, but for most of the semester if you stay on top of things, there are moments of boredom (gasp!). Especially during the first few weeks when not a lot is going on, you are wide awake and no one seems to be around, you may find yourself with nothing to do. If you are an active person (like myself), make sure to bring something you can do by yourself, make friends you can just hang around with or go out on an adventure!

 

2. You should not feel pressured to join as many clubs as possible. Yes, during orientation and the activities fair people encourage you to join like, all of them, but in reality? Ain’t nobody got time for that! My advice: sign up for anything that interests you and then only stick with the ones you really enjoy. With all the meetings and club activities that go on, if you try to do everything they will take over your life! Personally, I signed up for 6 clubs, but now am only active in 3 because they are the ones that I truly look forward to participating in.  Now, if you love staying busy and being involved in everything, by all means go for it! It is up to you. Clubs and organizations are a great way to meet new people, socialize and have fun doing things that you love, but don’t join just because

everyone stresses “get involved!”, the truth is, you don’t really have to if you don’t want to.

 

3. College is where everyone drinks and parties hard. Ok, yes, people do go out and get hammered and do all sorts of secular and (possibly) illegal stuff. But there are also TONS of people who don’t do all that. If you are like me and don’t drink, smoke, curse and am (mostly) innocent and naive about these things, don’t worry! There are people out there who are in the same boat and completely understand! Surround yourself with those people whose definition of a ‘fun night on the town’ means bowling and ice cream. And yes, there will be situations where you will be asked to go to a bar or dance hall with a group (even if you are underage, like me) and guess what? It is COMPLETELY FINE to say no thanks. College students will not judge or care about your decisions in the best way and they will probably not hold it against you or decide not to be your friend. Most people respect your choices and beliefs. And if you do go out and party and do all that stuff, that is okay too, although I will advise you to stick with people you trust and listen to all the “safety and consent” talks they give you during orientation J

4. The Freshman 15 is not that big a deal. This mostly depends on your eating habits, body type, exercise and self-control, and the Freshman 15 does not happen to everyone. Whether you eat at the dining hall, survive on ramen and chips or live off of salads and fruit, everyone will experience different weight gain, weight loss or just stay the same. Personally I have stayed the same, although I do not have a scale so I don’t know for sure. But I have not noticed anything and honestly do not care. With the amount of walking around campus, running to classes with the panic-induced adrenaline of being late, and the countless flights of stairs you climb every day, (and sports/horseback riding/dance if you are an athlete or one of those majors) the dreaded Freshman 15 is not as big a problem as it seems. The main thing to keep in mind is to eat lots of protein and energy-boosters, and try to eat some fruits/vegetables at least one meal a day if you can. Ultimately your body is your own and you know what is best and what works for you, so if you feel like you can handle it, go for that chocolate you deserve after completing those 3 finals in one day!

5. It’s okay to be homesick, and it’s okay not to be homesick. College is a life-changing time period, especially for freshmen. You are in a new place, surrounded by unfamiliar strangers, and possibly in a new state or country and are unable to go home whenever you want. Everyone reacts differently. Personally, as bad as it sounds, I admit I do not really miss home that much (wow, Jennah, what a horrible person not to miss your family) I do miss my family and people back home, but I am excited for what lies ahead and know that my family will still be there when I am finished with college and I will see them on breaks and holidays. I do know people who do miss home and go home whenever they can, and that is perfectly fine too. It is not a weakness to go home every weekend or call when things get hard. Family and friends will always welcome your company and calls, and there is a high possibility they feel the same way about missing you. Just do whatever you need to do to make your college years happy and fun. Don’t be afraid to tough it out and be open to new friends and adventures, but also don’t be afraid to hold on to your childhood and high-school years. Like stated previously, everyone is usually super understanding and supportive of your choices, as everyone is in the same situation and is learning how to work things out, just like you are.

Again, these are just some things I have seen and experienced over the short time I’ve been at college. All these things might not be true for you and your experience, but hopefully they will prepare you and help you make the most of college. Until next time,

What myths did you find to be untrue when you went to college?

~Jennah