Almost time to enter the real world!
Those exact words have haunted me. Yet, everyone keeps reminding me, especially now that I’m quickly approaching my final semester in college.
And as cliché as it sounds, time… really… does… fly.
What even classifies “the real world”? Have I not been living in real life this entire time?
Was college just a simulation, and nothing actually counts until I’m handed a piece of paper that says, “Hooray! You’re a grown-up now!”
If there is one thing I can leave behind before I “embark on this next chapter of life” (seriously who comes up with this stuff?), I want to share 5 things I wish I knew before college.
I am going to brace you now; this MIGHT be a hard pill to swallow…
5. Just because you are roommates freshman year, does NOT mean they have to be in your wedding.
I’m serious. I’m not saying it can’t happen, but just because your mom or dad is still besties with their college roommate doesn’t mean you have to be.
Do yourself a favor, don’t force your friendships.
They’ll happen when you least expect it.
And when you’re leaving campus one mid-May night, right before summer break, you’ll shed a few tears in the car because you’ll realize you did find your people, the ones who made the biggest impact.
You’ll meet so many incredible people on campus over four years. So why limit yourself to the person who sleeps three feet away from you?
4. Getting involved on campus is cool. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
You’re paying to be here; you might as well make the most of it.
My biggest regret? Not getting involved sooner. There are so many resources on campus. Find your niche, a few good friends, and own it.
And when you admit to everyone in a 5-mile radius that you don’t wear socks and your friends roast you live on the radio for 20 minutes? Be prepared.
Or when you get smacked square in the face with a volleyball at intramurals and your whole team laughs before asking if you’re okay? Be prepared.
But that’s the beauty of it, you wouldn’t have those memories if you didn’t get involved in the first place.
3. The hustle will burn you out, only if you let it.
There’s this unspoken competition in college.
Who stays up the latest. Who’s busiest. Who’s doing the most. Somewhere along the way, burnout started to feel like a badge of honor.
There will be moments where the weight of everything feels like it might crush you.
Assignments piling up, group chats buzzing, the future looming. If you slow down, you fall behind. Like the world will end if you don’t hold it all together.
But your mental health will crack. Your body will protest. And your motivation will vanish.
That’s what burnout does. It sneaks in while you’re whispering to yourself, “Just one more week.”
And suddenly, you’re not functioning anymore, you’re just surviving.
The truth is, rest is productive. Saying “no” is a boundary, not a failure. You don’t have to earn the right to pause.
College is important, but so is protecting your peace. Don’t wait until you’re completely drained to take care of yourself.
2. It’s okay to be a little afraid when everyone is at different points in their lives, ESPECIALLY in your 20s.
College makes you feel like you need to have your whole life mapped out by junior year.
You get a grace period of being the lost freshman, but by year two it’s like, “Okay, what’s your five-year plan?”, then by year three you should be executing said plan.
The reality is, life doesn’t follow a clean timeline.
You won’t suddenly wake up and go, “I’ve got it all figured out.” And if someone says they do, hand them an Oscar.
The comparison game is a trap. Don’t play it.
Someone will always have a cooler internship, a job offer, or more LinkedIn connections.
Clapping for others doesn’t mean you’re falling behind.
And when things finally start going your way, imposter syndrome will try to creep in. Don’t let it take the wheel.
You’re smart enough. You’ve earned your spot.
No one’s path is the same, but as long as you’re passionate and persistent, you’re doing just fine.
1. Don’t take the quiet moments and everything in between for granted, you’ll miss it when it’s over.
The Tuesday night walks back from the library, the late-night Wawa runs, and the deep talks at night when you should be sleeping before a big exam at 8 a.m.
The inside jokes. The dorm room dance parties. The group chats that somehow always derail into chaos.
You won’t realize how much those little moments mean until they’re behind you.
It’s easy to chase the “big” things. The honors, internships, diplomas, but it’s the in-between that shapes you the most.
So, take the long way back from class. Linger in the dining hall. Say “yes” to spontaneous plans.
Soak it all in because one day, you’ll look back and realize that these were the real moments.
Not the grades, not the titles.
Just this. The life you built here.
