10 Things I Learned As A College Student
As I look back on that chapter of my life
Graduation season is here and it’s making me nostalgic about my uni days. The late nights (whether that’s due to studying or partying), the terror professors, makeup projects, budgeting 101, part-time jobs, etc.
As I look back on that chapter of my life, I sum up ten things I learned in college that had either been a wake-up call, a sudden realization, or just plain stupidity that slowly made sense.
1. Getting into a new school will always be nerve-wracking, and that is fine.
In my case, I’ve experienced the “new-school-new-people” dilemma twice in a row for college, and to make it worst, a new course is in the way. On my first day, I was completely lost. I didn’t know where to go, what to do and bring and how to interact with college people.
And as I’m looking back now, I’m going to share with you two tips on what to do on your first day (a tip I wished someone could’ve given me back then). Take it from the girl who had two “first days” of college.
First, wear your best outfit, and second, talk to the right people.
Remember how they say those first impressions last? Believe me, that’s really true. On my first “first day of college”, my soon-to-be friends had an impression of me as a nerd. I wore a white shirt and jeans that day and I was really silent, because I was so nervous. On my second “first day of college”, people took me as the sophisticated city girl. I wore a dress and carried a handbag with me that day.
Though I won’t complain, for both impressions are true (except for the nerd part) but I like the latter more.
Thank God for second chances. There are times when people just get the wrong impression of you because you can’t show your true self and get the jitters at times.
So let loose, relax and be yourself. And sometimes, the best outfit is your smile.
And yes, talk to the right people and make friends with them because, let’s face it, even in college — especially in college — people use each other.
2. You never had it planned in high school.
My first choice of college course was supposedly journalism. But then my mom never really approved of it for it’s not practical. Because let’s face it, not everyone really succeeds in tat field (but hey, no college course really guarantees success).
So I went to my second choice which was Psychology and I thought I had it all figured out. I was very happy I got accepted into this school and the course I applied for, joined classes and clubs, participate in team-building activities, and made friends with the whole department.
That went on for two years but things went haywire and I had to switch schools and courses.
I later found myself enrolling in a Pharmacy course. I was making formulations and paper tabs, calculating dosages, and reading & preparing prescriptions.
I had a 360° change in my life course and again started from scratch.
3. High school is not the moment for “firsts”, at least not for me.
College became my ground for “firsts”.
First time to be away from home for so long.
First time to get a grade of 3.
First time to have had my attention called by the Dean.
First time to have a compulsory session with the Guidance Counselor.
First time attending a fun run (and mind you, it wasn’t fun…for me).
First wild party.
First drunken night.
First time getting wasted.
And the list goes on…
4. Be ready to be stabbed in the back when people find you’re “more” than them.
5. And people will keep on doing that so just DGAF.
6. Independent living starts now.
When you go to college, you learn to do things on your own now that you’re away from your folks.
I learned to wash and iron my own clothes. I learned to buy my own groceries. I learned to do household chores in a more serious way, because believe it or not, when you said you learned household chores in elementary or in high school, wait until you get to college.
I learned the term “brunching” because I’m in a tight budget. I learned to talk to big people like deans and professors all by myself. I learned to put up a savings account.
And at the end of the day, I felt proud of myself that I get to do it my way and on my own.
7. It’s nice to have to do things on your own but it’s better to have friends to have to do it with.
This is the part where I get to shout out to my ever-supportive friends that became family during my college days: Pauline Angels, Suicide Squad, and Shing & Outlier. Thank you for being my ride or die in college.
8. INDEPENDENT LIVING=ADULTING!
And while you’re at it, try to enroll in some Adulting 101 classes.
9. Nothing is ever fair.
In college, you’ll realize that the world is bigger than you can imagine. You meet a lot of people from all walks of life. People from different places of the world and raised in different cultures from what you know.
And that’s when I started asking why are there people who are good and bad? Why are there rich and poor? Why are some people fortunate enough to be smart while others seem to lack it?
How could the world be so unfair?
10. College had ended but my life has just started.
When I said that independent living starts in college, that could be likened to a pre-med course before getting into medical school — which is the real thing.
You have to face the fact that you’re now an automatic member of the unemployed club (except if your family owns a company for you can immediately work there).
You don’t get to ask for an allowance from your parents so you have no money at all (except if you have a trust fund or savings account). So you have to go face the real world and start looking for a job (except if you’re a princess or a prince).
Real-life (which means adulting) starts here and it sucks!
But hey, nobody ever said that the world is fair. So if you’re not a CEO’s child, if you don’t have a trust fund and most especially if you’re neither a princess nor a prince then get off that couch you college graduate, and start making a name of your own!
Go update that resume you made in your Technical Writing class and make an application letter to all the companies that you think suit you. Or you can start that business you’ve planned on for so long and become your own CEO.
But with all the stress and sleepless nights for 4, 5, 6, etc. years in college, you still deserve that dream vacation you’ve been thinking about for a long time.
Whichever suits you.
