College Life

If I were to describe life in college to an individual just beginning this new way of life I would tell them its different…

College life is different from home. Not any worse or any better, they’re just two separate lifestyles. In college you wake up early, by yourself. Nobody cares if you make it or not to your 9:00am recitation, you gotta carry your own weight and get there on your own motivation. Then after class it’s all up to you again: Do you go home and nap? Or do you go study? These are all questions you have to ask yourself, you get what you want out of this place. If you want A’s and you want to eventually graduate then you have to stay motivated for that on your own will. Along with all the freedom that comes with living away from home in the real world comes independence. That usually sounds like a good thing, and it is, but it is not as simple as it sounds. You have to work hard and you yourself, do all the things that people did for you at home like get to classes, stay on time, prepare meals, and maintain the place you live. At home these responsibilities came mostly from your parents and you were constantly reminded of them. In high school it wasn’t easy to fail, teachers warn you of your grade, report cards and progress reports are sent to your parents so they know if you’re trying hard enough. In college you must keep track of your own grades and do what you need to do about them without somebody else reminding you about them.

If you can handle the weight of all these new responsibilities then the rewards are plentiful. The sense of freedom you have when you know you control your own destiny is very fulfilling. With this freedom you and only you controls where you are gonna go. No one here tells you what to do, so once you set your goals it’s all up to you to reach them. It’s your life and you can do whatever you set your mind to. Some people can’t handle these responsibilities and will always need someone to guide them and hold their hand. My roommate, although in college and older than I am, constantly needs mommy and daddy to do stuff for him, they call the school and fix things for him, he doesn’t go to class because he sleeps in or is tanning. People like that will always need the help of others in their life and will not amount to anything greater than that. But when you can take control of your own path and carry the weight yourself you will be able to achieve the goals you set for yourself and reach beyond your dreams.