From my experience, college has been a completely new world for me. Although it brings its own challenges, there is a freedom that comes with leaving high school behind you.

1. Friend groups don’t have to exist.

Remember in high school when you fought to find a group? These were a set few people that you did absolutely everything with. Maybe you called each other something like the “squad” and no one else was invited to it. Yeah, that doesn’t have to happen in college, and I would suggest you avoid it at all costs. People that form exclusive friend groups in college most likely are stuck in high school. Use college as a time to connect with multiple different people! Of course, there will be a select few friends that you get closer to, but don’t put yourself in a social box.

2. You are in charge of your time.

The days of your parents making you stay home to do homework are gone. Although that statement might sound amazing, the lack of accountability can lead to a serious academic downfall. It is 6 o’clock in the evening. Why would I sit and write this paper when my friends are taking a trip to Whole Foods and I want some boujee vegan snacks? Before you know it, it’s midnight and no homework has gotten done. Thus, the all-nighter begins. I miss my parents.

3. Eating out is stressful.

Remember the days that your parents would take you out to eat? You didn’t think twice about ordering what you wanted. Or maybe you used your babysitting money to go out with your friends to dinner and you had the time of your life. Gone. The novelty of going out to eat is gone. It is the consumer of 80% of your time and money. You’re trying to stay on a budget and get your homework done early, and your friend pops in and asks you to get Thai food. I’m sure your response right now is “Well I just wouldn’t go with them”... guess what? You will go with them. Every time. You will throw your time and money away like it’s no issue. Every. Time.

4. Your schedule is never consistent.

This might be just me, but something that seriously changed after high school was my schedule. I would have classes from morning until the afternoon. Then in the evenings I would do homework, maybe work, or have activities that happened at a set time every week. In college, every day looks different. One day you might have your morning free and your afternoon/evening packed with classes and meetings. Then, the next day, you have class all morning, and an event in the evening leaving this awkward free time in the middle of the day. Each week brings different things to go to, and each semester brings a weird new schedule to adapt to. Things don’t stay the same for 9 months anymore. It changes every week.

5. You create the life you want to live.

No one is telling you to do anything, forcing you to step out. You have to seek out and work for every opportunity. This sounds scary, but it’s kind of awesome. All of those dreams you had in high school can become a reality if you are willing to put in the "behind the scenes" work. Remember when you would take classes in high school and feel like they were a waste of your time? Well now your classes all start to mean something to you, and it’s your job to take your education seriously. Not your professors. Not your parents. It’s all you, so go and give yourself a good life.