We all recall the days of kindergarten with great nostalgia. I mean, let’s be real- things went from 0 to 100 real quick. What ever happened to nap time? And, more importantly, why did we ever do away with snack time? We went from learning shapes and colors to deciding what we wanted to do with the rest of our lives. We went from treating ourselves to the 64-pack of crayons, (with the built-in sharpener), to being forced to buy $300 textbooks. Despite the vast differences between the two stages of our lives, kindergarten and college are more similar than you think, and here’s why:
1. The second you are dropped off, you want to go home.
We all remember the initial panic that set in once we watched our parents drive away. Even though we didn’t want to admit it, we so badly wanted them to turn around and take us home.
2. Naps occur regularly.
“Tired” is not simply a temporary condition. For most college students, “tired” is a personality trait. Just like in elementary school, napping occurs on a regular basis.
3. We miss our parents every day.
We can’t go too long without calling up the parental units to tell them how badly we miss them. Honestly, they hear from us so much, it’s like we never left home.
4. Focusing is still impossible.
We all recall those days of sitting in school, and there was that one kid who had to point out the fact that it was snowing. We are all that kid now. And we embrace it.
5. TV beats homework…every time.
Yes, Netflix, I’m still watching.
6. We reacquire the diet of a 5-year-old.
We seemed to have reverted to our childhood ways when it comes to food. A gourmet meal consists of dinosaur chicken nuggets and Easy Mac. And we are perfectly okay with that.
7. And we drink juice out of boxes again.
Boxed wine -- it's like the adult Capri Sun.
8. Little things make us happy again.
Something as small as seeing a dog could make our entire week.
9. But that doesn’t stop us from crying. A lot.
While we are so easily pleased, we are also very quick to throw a temper tantrum. Failed test? Cry. They don’t have mashed potatoes in the dining hall? Cry. Despite what we were taught as young children, crying does solve some problems.
10. It’s a growing experience.
No matter what, we take away valuable life lessons from both kindergarten and college. We learn a lot academically. We also discover who our true friends are. And, overall, we learn what kind of person we’d like to be. Years from now, we’ll be reminiscing about the college days just as we ever long for the easier days of kindergarten.
