College can definitely be given major props for providing us with some of the most amazing golden years of our lives. The bittersweet part of this nostalgic experience, though, is that it comes to an end, and little things will remind us of it almost every single day throughout post-grad life. Those underrated things in college become sorely missed when you're no longer lingering the halls of your college dorm. When looking back, there will inevitably be some things you wish you knew in college.
Real life is seriously a blessing and a curse, because we get to make our names in society, but sadly have to let go of one of the stepping stones that set our path. As much as college was full of parties, all-nighters, and crazy memories, we surely appreciate the way it shaped us as we start adulting. Those times you thought were normal in college become obsolete, and it can be incredibly hard to adjust to that blunt reality. Whether it was cooking ramen at 2 a.m. or playing beer pong mid-day on a Wednesday once you hit 21, these seemingly anticlimactic times were everything. So, whether you waved goodbye to college long ago or are a fresh post-grad, these underrated college circumstances have definitely circulated in your oh-so-missed memories.
No matter whose college dorm or house you were in, sitting around, congregating on a comfortable couch doing absolutely nothing was worth it. You don't have that much idle time in the real world. Honestly, if you get more time to yourself than you're used to, you start thinking about all of the things you could be doing, and it soils the entire concept. Hey, we want our carefree college lifestyle back.
Just like high school, once college is over, there's no weekly meet up or go-to place to see all of those familiar faces that decorated your campus. The friends you grew to know and love are also embarking on this cruel journey of adulting, and it can become increasingly harder to link up with them on a regular basis. Yes, these amazing people enter our lives just to partially leave after a few years.
Your campus will hopefully always be there, but when you go back and visit as an alumni, you get a new vibe. That study tree is just a tree now, and those library cubicles are no longer nap time fortresses. A college campus is definitely painted in vibrant shades of wanderlust when you're a student, and unlike Peter Pan, we have to grow up and can't stay those dough-eyed undergrads forever.
It's Tuesday night, and you know a good place that has karaoke and half-priced appetizers. Yes, it's a school night, and you have class the next morning, but you and the crew round up and head out. Stuff like that is a lot less likely to happen after college. Responsibilities pile up, and if it isn't planned, then it most likely is a no-go. Unless, of course, you really want to prove adulting wrong, and you bite the bullet and go out in an effort to reclaim those wonder years.
Nothing beats those times when you ran into a friend in the hallway and somehow ended up in a full-blown study session minutes later. Everyone always seemed to be carrying around the right book or study guide to set up shop just about anywhere. As much as this seemed so natural, it will hardly or never happen once you're done with college. Unless there's a secret "Adulting 101" test we all need to study for, those times are gone.
Even if you weren't a sports guru in college, but still attended games, you know that there's a certain heir to these events. Everyone shows a tremendous amount of pride, mascots are super dope, and to top it off, tailgating was so much fun. There are still professional games in real life to attend, but nothing beats reppin' your college with your fellow peers.
Before, you'd pat yourself on the back for actually making a full meal in college, because you wanted to. In real life, if you don't cook or grab something to eat, WTF are you even supposed to do? You can still enjoy cooking after college, but if you had a dining hall in school, cooking was an option. And if you decided to have some fun in your dorm room kitchen, no matter the result, it was a lot more rewarding.
College is hard to forget, because it really did get us started on establishing our identities. We're super thankful for the experiences and the people we now call our lifelong friends. College will always be the most exciting place to say "hello" to, and one of the hardest places to wave goodbye.
