On many of the daily tours I give as a Student Ambassador for the admissions office, prospective students often inquire about some of the hardest parts of the college transition. I always have had a distinct and specific answer for these questioners, but I feel it is necessary to expand on my particular thought in a post. Stay with me, faithful readers.....maybe as an incentive, I'll tell a joke at the end!
For me, the hardest part of transitioning from High School to college was time management. It may sound to some like a major at first, but indeed it is not. No one will pay you merely because you have learned time management...if they DID do that, I might find a way to be better at it. All jokes aside, learning to manage your time is HUGE for any normal first year student. For a procrastinating, conscientious, schedule-freak who also enjoys a hearty afternoon nap and evening TV time, it's even worse.
I blame the quintessential K-12 school schedule. At age 6, we were told when to nap and go potty. At age 10, we couldn't wait til lunch and recess time. At age 16, we still couldn't wait til lunch, but also dreaded the last classes of the day that were to follow. Face it, all our lives we've been told what to do and when to do it from 8am-3pm. Bwah ha ha- enter college.
Golly, I WISH someone could designate a block of time in the day for all college students to get out their multi-colored nap mats and sleep for nap time. On the other hand, could anyone imagine professors with PhD's forcing college students to play tether ball, hang on the monkey bars, and chase members of the opposite sex until the recess bell rang? Could you picture them putting misbehaved recess hoodlums on the wall for 5 minutes? Heck, there isn't even a designated lunch block! And professors lining you up in single-file line to go to the restrooms and get a 3-second drink at the water fountain? Forgetaboutit!!
I hate to say it kids, but its all in growing up. Some of you may be thinking, "If I were confined to a specific schedule much like the one I endured for 13 years, I would go crazy!!" Well, I've got news for you- There IS a place with a schedule much like that- It's called work- and that's the reason why you're in college in the first place.
Ok, so I guess we'll stick to college life while we can!! So heres to having to decide whether to take a snooze or do homework. Here's to wondering if the workout-regime you plan to someday start can wait another day. Here's to tooling around on Facebook or watching American Idol during what should be precious study hours. And finally, here's to staying up til 3am only to realize you need to drag your sorry self out of bed in 5 hours for your 8 o'clock.
Let's face it, there's never going to be another "time" like this. It may be hard to manage, but I wouldn't want to have it any other way!
Ohh- a joke you say? I'll stick to the every popular "waiting in line for the restroom in 3rd grade" joke.
Q: If you're American when you are going into the restroom, and American when you come out, what are you when you're in the restroom?
A: European!!
--- This post is dedicated to the incredibly fun and awesome people I've shared this year with so far. You know who you all are. Thanks a million! Keep the memories comin'!!