Before coming to college, looking back, I wish I had had someone prepare me for what this would all be like. Maybe it would have been a smoother transition, I would have been more prepared, known what to do the second it happened instead of letting it happen and then reacting ten seconds later. From what I've experienced, no intention to hurt my high school teachers feelings or bash their teaching (I love you all and miss you so much), but high school was a joke compared to college. Looking back I can imagine it almost being like a sort of daycare, a place to stick us for 8-10 hours of the day and shove something in our faces and demand for us to learn it. Not only was it a daycare, but it was one of those cheesy ones that the only thing they really teach is the days of the week and how to go pee-pee on the potty by ourselves. Make sure to wash your hands! The gist? You learned nothing, but they made it seem like you were learning everything. They sugar coated everything and damn did they do EVERYTHING for us. Come to college, you can say bye bye to all those study guides with questions straight from the test, or printed out notes prepared before hand in class. You can also say Auvoir to no homework and dazing off in class.
Coming to college is like the old swimming pool. My friends and people my age will completely understand when I say college is like jumping into the 9 ft as soon as you got inside. It is down right bone chilling and a shock to your nervous system. It is one scary jump from the side of the pool to the water inside. That jump, is the first night, NAY WEEK, away from home. Yeah you're all excited to get away from those nagging parents and that stupid town they've made you live in most of your life. But don't for a second think that you won't miss them or that town when you leave. Oh yeah, sure the first few days are like Christmas every single day. Let's just say I went crazy with the buying of fast food late at night. I TOOK FULL ADVANTAGE. No curfew, no parents, maybe just a few reprimands from your lovely yet frightening R.A.'s to keep it down. It is free reign and I will let you know in advance, you will love it. Because so did I, and you could probably call me a momma's girl.
For the first few days, I had no contact with my mom. Now different from some of my former classmates, I was dumped into a pool of unknown people all not knowing each other also and awkwardly trying to find a way to say hi and not make that bad first impression that brings back haunting memories of high school and soon enough everyone is calling you four-eyes. BACK ON TOPIC! Soon, you'll meet someone, who will introduce you to someone else and so on the domino affect is in place. Don't expect to find your forever friends in the first few months, let alone the first few days. Just like love, you gotta be patient, ok? Or you will regret it...horribly. Since the beginning of the school year, I've changed friend groups almost a dozen times and have met so many new and interesting people like myself that I feel content and at home. It takes awhile. Just give it time. Give it a little encouragement by introducing yourself to new faces and don't be scared, more than likely their about to pee their pants also from fright and social anxiety too. Maybe strike up a conversation about depends (s/o to Mr. Curt Pahls for that conversation starter)? Be yourself. And I don't mean the fake self you use around your high school friends so that they don't see how dark and twisty you really are inside. No. Let that dark bat fly. The key to finding the perfect college soul mate is to be yourself. Your true self. No matter how cheesy that sounds, and that sounds about as swiss as it gets, do it. I promise you. It works.
But those few days will roll by and you'll slow down and then your feelings will catch up to your head and your head will fight the feelings off but by the end of that week, I promise you on my lucky pencil's grave, that you will be ready to cry to your mom about how much you miss your bed and your shower and the snacks she made you when you asked her. It will happen. Maybe not in that first week, but it'll hit you out of the blue and the blues will set in fast.
So Dani's little advice for this post goes out to all those high schoolers pining away for college. Stop...drop....and hug your parents. Soon you'll be crying into your pillow at night because you miss the way your room smelt, yes you too boys. I have a few horror stories from my manly man friends. Just, take a moment before you get all worked up about how many spoons you need to take (the answer is none, buy plastic cutlery), and just look around at your house. You won't belong to that house very soon. You've lived in this house most of your life, so you better give it the goodbye it deserves. Give a little lovin to the dogs and maybe the siblings, who knows? Set the rivalry aside and have a nice chat....or don't. Last of all kiss your mom and dad good night and thank the Man Upstairs that he is giving you the opportunity to finally leave that little hell of yours. Because let's just be real honest, who doesn't want to go back to college?
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