Thanksgiving will come and pass, but that doesn’t mean that I will stop being thankful for my favorite things. Here is a list of fifty things that I am thankful for on Thanksgiving and every day.
In college, one of the essential things to have is friends. Yes, textbooks, a laptop, and other school supplies are important but friends are essential. Friends are that support system everybody needs. The more friends you have the better the support system you have. But you also have someone to share experiences with. And don’t settle for just one or two friends because 8 out of 10 times they are busy and you are studying all alone. Or they have other friend groups that do not include you. Don’t settle for just one or two friends; make as many friends as you can. After the first couple of weeks of college, most friend groups are set and you may be without friends.
Friends are almost an essential part of time. Friends make everything better; games, parties, movies, even studying. Especially in college, there is not much to do after classes. Having a few people to hang out with at night will make any night better. This will probably create lifelong friends and memories.
One of the worst things in college is sitting alone in a huge cafeteria or feeling too awkward to go to the cafeteria by yourself. Most of the time being by yourself sucks unless you like a lot of alone time. If you're not in class, you are most likely eating food somewhere. Meals are always more enjoyable with other people.
In college, it is very rare to have classes on the weekends. So what else is there to do? Hang out with friends, go to football games and other sports, shopping, and anything else you can think of. Although, you wouldn't do these things by yourself usually. Having friends on the weekends will make your weekends so much more enjoyable, rather than watching a bunch of people have fun from your dorm window.
Having no friends might actually make you cry. Not having anyone to do anything with is actually pretty upsetting and after a while it might make you upset, depressed, or even stressed out. You don't want to remember college as a horrible time because you didn't have a lot of friends. You want to remember the good times and be able to share them with others.
One of the worst things in college is having a roommate you do not get alone with. Sure you can apply for another random roommate the following year, or you can have a friend to room with. But not having close friends, it will be hard for you to find a roommate. If you aren't close with a person but they are close with someone else, chances are they will room with the person they are close with over you.
When struggling with something it is always easy to spill your guts to someone to relieve the stress. Half the time in college it is your mom. But there are somethings that you don't feel comfortable saying to your mom-- unless you are extremely comfortable/close with your mom. You also don't want to be the person known for excessively calling your mom for everything, they don't go to college with you.
Walking into any class and not knowing anyone is awkward. Going through the semester not talking to anyone is even worse. You'll most likely be bored as hell, and probably start to fall asleep-- unless the lecture is really interesting. Plus you will most likely be the one person who never has a partner and has to ask the professor for a partner.
Walking around not knowing anyone is weird. It may feel like you don't belong there and you may just want to hurry up to go hide in your dorm. All these other students are walking around talking to their friends while you just walk with your face buried in your phone trying to avoid eye contact with anyone and everyone.
When trying to study/ do homework it is always helpful to have something to do it with. Study buddies are a great tool in college because if you don't understand something chances are they do. You can't call up your professor at 2 a.m. trying to ask them a question but, you can call up a friend to ask them the same question. Friends are a great study tool.
For a moment your world is spinning. The phone alarm has just scared you awake and you’re flooded by daunting thoughts of the day ahead. You have three assignments due and little time to work on them because of your job. You’re running late because you’ve hit snooze one to many times after yesterday’s long hours. You dizzily reach for a hoodie, craving its comfort, and rush for a speedy exit, praying you will have time to pick up coffee. Does this sound familiar?
You have just made a big mistake. How we dress can really affect our day. Amongst the array of daily responsibilities you have as a college student, worker, friend and partner, the last thing you want to do is dress up in the morning. Makeup and heels are likely last on your long list of priorities however, they can be essential weapons to fight off the zzz’s you’re craving and conquer your day.
Here are some reasons why making the effort to dress up is worth your time:
Often the more comfortable we are, the sleepier we get. In soft, oversized clothes we desire sleep. It’s like being tired even after getting nine hours of rest. If you put yourself into a cozy environment, by default you feel relaxed. The same goes for clothes. Now, that doesn’t mean you’re tight skirts and Spanx are necessary as even beautiful clothes can be loose and practical. That groggy feeling you have can even be wiped away by a splash of makeup. Your winged liner and fake lashes aren’t daily essentials, but a touch of blush and swipe of mascara can brighten your eyes and enhance your focus.
When you leave your home in sneakers, you walk, but when you leave in heels, you strut! Looking nice just makes you feel better. When you’re well put together, some of the day’s obstacles become less difficult. In wedges or thick healed booties, you are not only standing taller, but you can also stomp all over the problems and difficult people that come your way. (Not literally—heels don’t work in jail!) Obviously, heels aren’t practical for every environment, but that’s no excuse to be boring. Spicy flats and silly sandals can have the same bold and beautiful effect. When you look better, chances are you will feel better about yourself.
My mom told me long ago, “You better look good; you never know who you’ll run into!” Life throws us an annoying amount of curve balls. On an otherwise routine day, you may run into an ex or “frenemy.” Your sweatshirt may leave you with regrets but a sexy sophisticated ensemble will leave the regrets with them! At work, your bosses may decide it's time for an unplanned office picture. Congratulations, your sweatpants will forever be featured in the office picture day all over your favorite social media sites! The curve ball options are endless, so isn’t it better to always be prepared?
Admit it, compliments are nice. When someone admires your earrings or tells you that you’re beautiful, does it not brighten up your day? We make impressions on the people around us whether we realize it or not. We are identified visually—it’s human nature. Our style and self-presentation is a part of who we are. Make your outfit reflect your personality; think of it as an extension of yourself. Standing out rather than blending in will inevitably bring greater opportunities and successes to your life, it might even give you a leg up on that promotion at work. Sometimes that extra moment spent adding flair to your visual persona is worth it in the end.
Finals week is upon us. It is a magical time of year during which college students everywhere flock to the library in attempt to learn a semester's worth of knowledge in only a week. For some students, it's their first time in the library all semester, maybe ever. Others have slaved away many nights under the fluorescent lights, and are slightly annoyed to find their study space being invaded by amateurs. While these newbies wander aimlessly around the first floor, hopelessly trying to find a table, the OGs of the library are already on the third floor long tables deep into their studies. Here is a few signs that you may live in the library, whether you'd like to admit it or not.
While your friends are throwing on their bathing suits and sandals, you're bundling up in a sweatshirt and leggings. You are fairly certain that at least half of your tuition money goes to pay for the icy temperature of the library. And that is why we still have to pay for printing.
You are on a first name basis with most of the security guards. You ask about their families, they ask how the physiology exam you spent 12 straight hours studying for went.
By the time you get to the cash register, they already have your drink ready for you. They even spell your name right. Most of the time, anyway.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack time. You have eaten more meals at the library cubbies than you have your own apartment.
Talking is for the first floor only. If you're on the second, and especially the third floor,then you are there to get stuff done. You're not afraid to call the library security on those students who don't respect the sanctity of the quiet floors.
On the rare nights you do go out, you tend to let loose because it doesn't happen that often. Not too much though because you have to be back in the library first time tomorrow morning.
Even if you would rather be literally anywhere else in the world on a Saturday morning, your homework is not going to do itself.
Some of them do not even bother with formalities anymore, just a simple, "Where are you?" because let's be honest, they already know.
Whether it was on purpose or an accident, you have taken a snooze in the library before. You'd be surprised at ow comfortable a textbook feels at 2 a.m.
You almost feel sorry for all the shivering students of the third floor who didn't know to bring a sweater.
Even though it's stressful at the time, at the end of the semester, your GPA has never looked better.
College is a crazy, beautiful, amazing whirlwind. It is highly popularized in television and movies, but not necessarily in the most accurate way. Yes, there's frats, dingy dorms, raging house parties—but there's also a lot that people fail to mention.
All of your classes aren't taught every day, so professors aren't on your case constantly about reading and memorizing material. Once you get back that "questionable" first exam grade, you'll kick it into high gear and figure out what works for you
Figuring out how to live with your new roomie is a task in itself. From arranging your room and learning about each other's habits, to scheduling important me-time, it can be stressful. Understanding how to give-and-take can help establish a peaceful living situation.
Frankly, it sucks. Outgrowing people and drifting apart is a part of life. It's especially hard when friends are hours away and conflicting schedules get in the way of communication.
So many cultures and backgrounds mesh together at college. You learn about each other, grow together, and create life-long memories. Bonding over pizza at 3 a.m. is one of the best ways to do it, to be honest.
Coming home for the first time is an odd experience. Questions like, "So what's new?" and "How are you?" seem to be un-answerable because the world around you feels so foreign. You've grown and experienced so much while the people at home seem to have stayed the same.
Some people go out every night and some people don't go out at all. House parties are happening all the time and bars are open every day. Does it mean that you should go out and get trashed every night? That's up to you. There's also a lot of non-alcohol related clubs and campus activities in session, so check that out if you're not feeling like nursing that morning hangover.
You've got three hours of homework left? But there's house parties, an off-campus dinner date, sporting events, two club meetings... The pressure to do everything humanely possible is way more prominent than it ever was in high school.
Say goodbye to sweet dreams and hello to Red Bull and daily naps! Thanks to noisy roommates and neighbors, paper thin walls, and no self-control when it comes to Netflix, you can kiss away those Z's.
Some people gain 15 pounds, some people lose 15 pounds, and some people stay the same. Crazy schedules, countless dining hall options, and having a fitness facility at your fingertips can influence your decisions— for better or for worse.
You will realize the parts of yourself you never knew and you will lose the parts of yourself holding you back. Here at college, it doesn't matter where you came from in high school or what you did in your past; it matters if you're a good person and the things you do from this point forward to better the world around you.
Here's to the next four-plus years!
