12 Struggles College Students Know All Too Well | The Odyssey Online
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12 Struggles College Students Know All Too Well

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12 Struggles College Students Know All Too Well

College is an exciting time in your life. There is no doubt that between meeting all different types of people, having complete freedom and taking classes that hopefully inspire you, you're having some of the greatest times of your life here. But with great achievements, comes great struggles -- and let's face it -- it's hard sometimes. Even at your favorite university you may be riding the struggle bus.


1. Sleep deprivation.

This is not dramatic. You will have nights that you are up until 4am doing homework and you have class at 8am that morning, regardless of your major. Then there are the nights where you willingly go out to party until 4 a.m. and you sleep until 4 p.m. the next day, and then you are just chasing after your sleep cycle.

2. Caffeine addictions.

With sleep deprivation comes you reaching for anything to keep you awake in that 8 a.m. that you thought you would be able to wake up for. Starbucks, Dunkin, Monsters, 5 Hour Energies. Pick your poison. It's a serious addiction probably formed halfway through your first year, and it's a tough one to break.

3. Trying to look like you care.

You're tired, like really, really tired. You want to look socially acceptable but the thought of jeans on your body makes you want to cry and sweatpants and yoga pants just are so much more versatile. You have your whole adult life to dress up every day and hate it, enjoy this.

4. Trying not to blow through cash.

If you're a college student, chances are you're broke, but all you want is that lavish lifestyle of endless money. You want to save money, but you can't. Because your spending habits may be one of a kid in a candy store. You try to save money, but late night taco bell after going to bars adds up, and let's not forget about online shopping for when you need some retail therapy (which is always).

5. Working a part-time job you probably hate.

With spending cash, comes trying to have some sort of income. I mean you're not going to be a news anchor or a doctor yet, so cashiering is going to have to do. Doesn't mean you like it, you may actually hate it, but you need that job so you can afford luxuries like dinner at Chipotle.

6. Trying to do extracurriculars.

Yes, in the midst of it all, you want to take on more than you can chew, obviously. Between your fiveclasses, your social life, your job, and your own health you want to be involved. You may choose to get involved with greek life, club sports, or student media (or all of the above, if you're me) and you probably can't manage it but you figure do it for the resume.

7. Keeping in touch with your life at home.

Three missed calls from your mom, and two texts from your sister you haven't responded to. Your best friend back home keeps telling you that the two of you should Facetime, and Grandma is heartbroken you haven't called her every Sunday like you said you would. You totally want to call them, but you just passed out for four hours and realize that you have an assignment do in an houry!

8. Studying and time management.

Yes, you need to put away time every day to study and do your homework. Every student knows this. However, the new season of "House of Cards" just came on Netflix and just like that your reading for the night is postponed. Everyone slips up; no worries, right?

9. When it's cold outside...

If you go to school where I do, in Bowling Green, Ohio you realize that come around November it is freezing all the time until April. And that's miserable. Sometimes, the windchill is so bad it makes you cry on your walk to class, and usually you can take it like a champ. But, when you wake up for that 9 a.m. and it's still dark outside and the temperature is in the negatives, it's tempting to just stay in bed -- indefinitely. Mom isn't here to wake you up. Seasonal class skipping -- are you on the struggle bus yet?

10. Getting along with your roommates.

You love your roommates, you really do. Or, maybe you don't. But sometimes you just want them to do the dishes, and that's okay. Living with someone else is hard, but you have to do it.

11. Not finding your soulmate and dealing with it.

Everyone tells you that you meet your soul mate in college. But how? Was he that drunk guy at the bar on Friday night who was dancing by himself or was she that girl who keeps asking insanely annoying questions in your sociology class? The point is that you haven't found the one yet, but who even has time for it -- I mean, seriously?

12. Trying to figure out where the hell your life is going.

You don't know what's going to happen when you graduate. You know what you want to happen. You know that's not going to happen right away, and that gives you a level of anxiety every day. Unemployment rate is at what percent, again?

Point being -- you're struggling, a lot. But this is the time in your life to be struggling. You can't tell me you haven't learned so much about yourself in your years here. So hop on the struggle bus and get ready for the most interesting, rewarding ride of your life.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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