College and kindergarten actually aren’t that different from each other. College might have a larger workload, but the truth is that the stress level of kindergarten, going to a new school and being away from your parent’s for the first time, is pretty similar to the stress level of college. Moving away from your home, keeping up with the workload as well as maintaining a social life is all pretty stressful. Here are a few ways college and kindergarten are linked.
1. Nap time.
Whether you’re five or 20 years old, nap time will always be the best time.
2. Fun.
College is filled with fun that you would expect a five-year-old to be excited about, and college kids seem to be just as excited, if not more. Orientation is filled with name games and duck-duck-goose while the annual spring quad fest might have a jumpy house, face painting, or a Build-A-Bear station. Adult coloring books are also becoming a crucial item on the packing list for students who are moving into college these days. The truth is, college kids really just want to have as much fun as kindergartners have. Whether it’s going to the playground instead of studying for finals or spending a laid-back Friday night coloring with a few friends.
3. Crying.
Mental breakdowns. Whether it's mid-semester and you’ve had an average of three hours of sleep this past week or you’re five and you skipped your nap time that day, crying and mental breakdowns will always be a common occurrence between college kids and kindergartners. In college, you’ll miss your home, you’ll miss home cooked meals, and you’ll wish you had the money to buy that cute outfit that you can’t afford but your roommate can. Sound familiar? That’s because you’ve already gone through similar experiences in kindergarten. You missed being in the comfort of your home every day while you were at school, you always wanted snacks, and you through a tantrum whenever someone else got to play with your favorite toy. The point is, whether you’re crying because you miss your parent’s and want to go home or crying because you’re just too tired to keep carrying on that day- both seem to be socially accepted and understand parts of the college and the kindergarten experiences.
4. Being shy.
A new school with new faces can be overwhelming for anyone. Making friends and finding your group can take a long time, and being shy makes it a lot harder. Hiding behind your father on the first day when he’s dropping you off to class sound familiar? Well, you’ll experience it again in college with your first roommate. You’ll most likely cling to each other because you won’t know anyone else yet. You’ll eat meals together and you’ll feel uncomfortable going out on campus without them. But don’t worry, kindergarten you found your friend group and grew comfortable enough to be yourself eventually, and so will college you. It just takes time.
5. Missing your parents.
“Missing my parents? Nah, I won’t miss them! I can’t wait to move out!”
That’s what we all think, but the truth is, kindergarten and college both teach you how important your parents are to you. You missed your mother when you fell at recess and scraped your knee. You’ll miss her again when you get sick away from home for the very first time. You missed staying at home and watching cartoons in the morning with your father while your mother made your favorite for lunch; grilled cheese. And you will miss your father’s yelling at the television during a sports game or catching part of the news with him before going to school in the morning while chowing down the homemade pancakes your mother made for you. The truth is, your parents' may get on your nerve, but remember how much you depended on them when you were little and how much they’ve done for you? That really hasn’t changed. Being in college and living away from them for an entire year will show you how much they really do for you and then you’ll learn to appreciate them just as much as you did when you were little.
