College: a chapter in our lives to grow, experience the new, social and most importantly, “study.” Unfortunately, due to workload or super-hooah cadet activities, many of us have a hard time going out and having fun on weekdays, so God blessed us with weekends. We go through the whole week looking forward to the weekend, a time where we do not have to get up early for PT or eight am classes. With the stresses of school and college life mixed together, the weekend offers a brisk pause, a time to wind down, relax and live a little. Tactlessly, many students, especially freshmen, seem to go home every opportunity they have. Whether is it because of being homesick, feeling unwelcome, dealing with social struggles or the lack of activities, it seems that more and more students go home and watch Netflix than make college memories.
Throughout our short childhood, media and social quotes have instilled a certain painting into our heads of what college was going to be. It is supposed to be the time of our lives and it certainly is, but many students, particularly freshmen, struggle with finding themselves within their new environment. Unable to find who they are, what they want to do or who to hangout with many go back to their comfort zone and linger there and that in itself is ruining the “College Experience” that everyone talks about.
“No plans are the best plans” and "saying yes to last minute plans seem to lead an adventure” seem to be my best friends’ war cries during the weekend because it strikes truth. We always seem to find something to do regardless of the time or conditions and that has brought us closer than anything else has. “No ragrets” is something else my guy friends say a lot, because regardless of how stupid, endangering or time-consuming an activity, none of us say “man, I should've just gone home this weekend.” That statement is true because we always seem to make due with what we have. Understanding that there is not much to do, maybe we are just easily entertained there are moments in my life. Many argue “there is nothing to do up in Dahlonega” and while there is a lot of truth in that statement, just like dating, you do not need some fancy plans to have fun-- you just need each other.
From bonfires in mountains to getting a Frosty at Wendy’s, I've personally gotten to know many life long friends doing the simplest activities just because I was here that weekend instead eating cheetos on my couch at home. With society based on the superficial and everyone worried about their matches on Tinder, something about going out and having a genuine hangout is pure bliss. You will learn so much about each other, go on amazing/dumb adventures and most importantly grow as a family. Family is something I stress to the incoming students. That base is what they need to succeed in this ever detached society. I have tried new sports and hobbies simply because of the diversity that coming to college brings. Being at school for the weekend helps you “find yourself.” For example, I never would've thought that I'd like to go out of my way to get up at the crack of dawn to hike and see the sunrise at a summit or lay on a dock to gaze at the stars. There are so many adventures that kids that go home every weekend are missing out on, not to mention it detaches them even more socially.
Memories, scars and pictures that I wish I could go back to and enjoy again-- students need to think about why would they live on campus just to go home every weekend? It really perplexes me why someone would go out of their way to come to a university and pay for room and board when they could be living at home and commuting to a college closer to home. While you are here, enjoy the new scene, meet new people and honestly just make the most of the time you have in college. Just to be super cliche, “you don’t know what you have till it's gone.” Sadly it is very true and I might sound like an old fart, but go out, have fun, make friends and be safe. Godspeed everyone!"You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment."
Ecclesiastes 11:9
