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My Four Years In College Aren't The Best Years Of My Life, And That's OK

I don't agree with the following statement, and I'm perfectly content with that.

Eric McInnis

May 08, 2017

Arcadia University

My Four Years In College Aren't The Best Years Of My Life, And That's OK

The Campaign for Free College Tuition

"College is the best four years of your life."

Right there is a quote I'm sure everyone has heard at least once in their life. And it's understandable why they say it. When freshmen go to college, they are in control for the first time. They choose the classes which interest them. They figure out what they really want to be when they grow up. They discover things about themselves and who they are as individuals that they didn't understand or recognize until they were on their own independently.

However, if college is supposedly the best four years of my life, then the rest of my life's going to suck. Now I'm not saying my freshman year was bad. Far from it. I had good classes, great professors, cool new friends, the works. I learned what I like about independence, what I don't like about independence, and what I need to improve upon in the future.

But it's important to understand how ludicrous the very idea of college being the best time of my life really is. The average male life expectancy in the US is around 77, according to the World Health Organization. Currently, I'm 19. While I might be lower or higher than the number, let's say I die at 77. As of now, I have 58 years left on this Earth. In that time, I'll have a career, meet interesting people, find new hobbies and interests, get married, travel around the country or possibly the world, and so much more. College has a lot of fun benefits, but I doubt I can do all of the things listed above, and even if I could life would be pretty darn boring.

So no, I don't believe college will be the best four years of my life. But I'm content with such a belief. The great thing about the human experience is how unpredictable it can be and how it defines itself by moments. Some of the best parts about college have been many of the things I've listed before, but there are so many parts of life which are as great, if not better than the moments people will experience or have experienced in college. So while I doubt college will be the best part of my life, I'm not gonna be upset over that fact.

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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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My Four Years In College Aren't The Best Years Of My Life, And That's OK

I don't agree with the following statement, and I'm perfectly content with that.

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No matter how old you are.

1. Build a snowman

2. Start a snowball fight

3. Build a fort

4. Binge-watch Netflix

4. Look out the window

5. Grab coffee with a friend

6. Complete school or office work

7. Sleep

8. Read a book

9. Bake cookies

10. Drink hot cocoa

11. Go ice skating

12. Take a Walk

"I don't want to do things. I want to not do things."

1. When you look at the syllabus and realize there are only three weeks of the semester left; even though the first day was LITERALLY yesterday.

2. You look at your grades and realize they probably aren't as high as they should be, which is a terrifying realization.

3. When you think to yourself at night, "tomorrow, I will wake up early and go to the library ALL day, and, hell, maybe after I'll go to the gym for a little bit, just to push myself that extra mile."

4. Tomorrow actually comes. The inevitable and overpowering sense of procrastination is too strong to overcome.

5. But you DO end up going to the library. Not all day though, but still, a while. But no, you do not go to the gym. Still, you made an effort, so you decide to treat yo' self.

6. When you realize you need to schedule a meeting with your adviser because you need to sign up for classes next semester. But you also realize that since you waited until the last minute, you're going to get stuck with all of the crappy classes.

7. When you low-key try to slip into conversation with your professors that you need extra credit because you're that desperate.

8. When it's already the third time you've seen your adviser in two days because you have no damn clue what you're doing and need all the help you can get.

9. When you apply for a job associated with your major even though you have no experience, but you just want to dive headfirst into the deep end of adulthood and get it over with.

The world is not always sunshine and rainbows, and you do not have to be, either.

It would be so much easier to just pay someone to do it for you

1. Figuring out when to start

2. Searching through list after list to get everything you need

3. Shopping for deals

4. Getting bins to put everything in

5. Figuring what you can’t live without

6. Going through clothes to find what you need

7. Finding out your siblings took something from you

8. Fighting with your parents.

9. Trying to plan things with your roommate

10. The fear of forgetting something

11. Move in day

Relatable moments from one of the best shows I have ever watched.

1. When you fail that midterm you studied so hard for.

2. When your crush finally texts back.

3. When payday comes around.

4. When you accidentally like someone's picture from 108 weeks ago.

5. When someone takes your unassigned assigned seat.

6. When your favorite character in your favorite TV series dies.

7. When that guy/girl you’ve been crushing on agrees to go on a date with you.

8. When you have so much to do, and such little motivation to do it.

9. When someone asks for your last fry.

10. When you try a new health-food craze.

11. When you get new clothing.

12. When you check your bank account.

13. When they're serving good food in the dining hall.

14. When someone tries to tell you what to do.

15. Or just your thoughts about life in general.

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