Rating College Experiences: An Honest Review of College Life

The “College Experience”

            What is the college experience? The reviews are mixed, the definition isn’t set in stone, and, to some degree, it looks different for everyone. The college experience is actually made up of a bunch of different experiences, from classes to relationships, from organized school events to spontaneous adventures (and everything in between). It’s all the things you do, the choices you make, and the memories that characterize your time in college.

            So of course, everyone has a unique take on the college experience… but that’s not to say that some events or decisions aren’t a common occurrence. After all, the combination of new-found independence, hormones, media influences, and limited funds often produces similar results in many people. So, there are plenty of shared experiences that are typical or expected in a college setting.

            But just because they are common doesn’t necessarily mean that they are great. For those of us looking ahead to some of these college experiences, wouldn’t you like a guide to give you an honest expectation? Say no more. Let’s get straight to rating college experiences…

Rating College Experiences

Going to a Diner… at Midnight

This is one of those kodak college experiences—a staple to the “college student social experience” package. Often spontaneous or the result of a long-running study session, going to a diner in the middle of the night is a golden memory to make with your friends. There’s something about eating pancakes at midnight that is just better than pancakes when the sun is up.

Tired eyes, slap-happy jokes, none-too-special coffee, and fresh breakfast food in a near-empty diner that is suddenly injected with life is the kind of college experience that stays warm in the mind. Highly Recommend. 8/10

Awkward Coffeeshop Date

Whether this happens to you for the first time in college or not, when it comes for you, it’s uncomfy. Usually, the discomfort only lasts a few minutes, if you’re lucky. But, sometimes it’s just a semi-silent, forced conversation, stop-and-go-questions kind of date.

And sometimes you don’t realize you’re on a date, bring your homework with you, and wonder why they are so bad at concentrating on their homework while they’re trying to talk to you… (It’s too late for me, but to avoid confusion for yourself, listen for these key phrases: “wanna get coffee?” “Wanna go out?” “It’s a date.” “Wanna hang-out?” If they use these phrases, don’t bring your homework with you.)

These first dates, while uncomfortable, are important steppingstones for either building a relationship, or gaining skills for future relationships. But, we could definitely do without the cringe-worthy moments of forced laughter and looking anywhere but at them. Recommend for character, not fun. 4/10

Skipping Class to Sleep-In

There will be days when the alarm clock goes off, and you just can’t handle it. You smack the snooze button (or tap it lightly cause you use your phone for an alarm clock, and smacking that would be way less satisfying, and way too expensive to repair), and snuggle back into your pillows and comforter, shrugging off that 8am class. Feels great in the moment, often some regret later on.

Tempting all the time, but if you miss too many classes, you’ll fail them. Don’t make a habit of it, but every now and then, sleeping in really is self-care. 6/10

Grocery Shopping with a Total of $18 in the Bank

A painful and real lesson in prioritization. You can afford the bare minimum, which means put the Snickers and Lays chips down, you need milk, rice, and shampoo. Don’t even walk down the snacks aisle, it will only hurt you. Humility, discipline, and budgeting down to the penny are valuable and necessary lessons that you learn here… but definitely not fun. Would not do again. 3/10

The Questionable but cheap Diet

If you’re not on a meal plan at your college, or your schedule doesn’t allow you to eat that often in the cafeteria, then the “cheap diet” is probably a college experience in your future. This means meals that fill you, that you can afford and buy a lot of. The staples of this diet are rice, pizza rolls, frozen and microwaveable veggies, and—of course—dino nuggies. Is it delicious? Absolutely. Is it nutritious? Shhhh. Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to. 6/10

Karaoke Night

There’s nothing quite like belting out the lyrics to the greatest hits of the 90’s and 2000’s in a room full of friends who are just as bad at singing as you are. One of my fondest memories was a spontaneous karaoke night with three friends. It was a golden night, with a silent agreement to look stupid and sing like maniacs—an experience that I have never been able to replicate. The most therapeutic college experience to-date. Absolutely recommend. 10/10

Going to “the game” with your friends

You don’t even need to like sports to enjoy this college experience. Sitting in the fan section for your school’s team is a unifying experience. Cheering and chanting with your peers, jumping up for close calls, celebrating points or wins with a gym or bleacher full of other students with the same contagious energy—it’s an experience that leaves you feeling like you’re the one who won the game. 8/10

Going to your morning class after staying up all night

If you want to know what it feels like to be a zombie, this is it. Your body feels heavy, brain is absent, eyes are dry and begging to shut, and you making it to class is based purely on muscle memory. Maybe you were studying, maybe hanging out with friends, maybe going on an adventure—for whatever reason, you stayed up WAY past your bedtime and then your alarm went off for your 8am class. Now it’s time to drag your near-carcass to that classroom and suffer through it. You can do it, but it won’t be fun. 2/10

Procrastinating until the FINAL moment

You knew about that assignment 5 weeks ago. You knew it was coming. But you put it off with the same “I’ve got time, I’ll do it later” excuse and now, you don’t have time. It’s the night before or the day of, and you have HOURS until that giant essay/project is due. You summon up all the productivity and willpower you have, and sit yourself down for the most stressful, heart-and-mind-racing couple of hours of your life.

It’s do or die (you won’t die), and you DO. Somehow, against the odds, you finish that assignment, turn it in, and experience the greatest rush of relief and accomplishment that you’ve ever felt. Was it worth it? We’ll find out when the grades are posted. 5/10

When the Fire Alarm goes off at the Worst Possible Time

Unfortunately, very few colleges let students know when there will be a fire alarm, in order to try to keep the reactions more “authentic.” And let me tell you, they certainly have a knack for catching you off guard. So off guard, in fact, that you have the audacity of being in the shower, minding your business when their loud, high pitched, all-consuming alarm goes off. Or, maybe you got so far as to put on your facemask with your comfy PJ’s before the wailing begins.

Now, you’ve got to wrap a towel around yourself or walk out with that green paste on your face and try to act natural while standing in the parking lot waiting for the “all clear” to go back to your dorm room. Somehow, the alarm always goes off at the worst moment… like it knows when it would be least convenient. A memorable experience…. Not necessarily for a proud reason, but you’ll get a good laugh looking back on it. 4/10

Building a Pillow Fort

No matter what anyone says… You are never too old for a pillow fort. Whether it’s just you and your roommates, or others from your hall/quad, building a pillow fort is the activity that you want to do, that you didn’t know you wanted to do. Gather up your pillows, blankets, mattresses, and sheets. Make the most epic pillow fort that has ever been, set up a screen and movie, make some popcorn, and hang a sign outside that says, “no haters.” Build that padded sanctuary, cause trust me, that will be something you remember fondly for the rest of your life. Whole-heartedly recommend. 10/10

Finding out you have an exam—the day-of.

There’s nothing quite like walking into class and finding out that an exam worth 30% of your grade that you haven’t studied for is today. It’s like a rollercoaster, but only your stomach got on the ride, and it crashed and burned at the bottom of a drop. Hopefully you’ve paid attention in class enough to remember some things. Hoping for an 80%, but will be lucky not to fail. Use your planner kids, don’t let this college experience sneak up on you. 0/10

The Break-Up

An almost inevitable part of dating is breaking up, and believe me, it isn’t fun. The thing about college is that regardless of what you do, you’re bound to run into a breakup—even if it isn’t yours. Many people get into relationships in college, or come into it in relationships from before college, and often those relationships don’t survive. For whatever reason, breakups are a common part of the college experience.

Obviously, breakups are no fun; they suck emotionally and physically as you break the habit of having someone around and in your life. But that doesn’t make them any less necessary. The breakup period, where you learn to lean on your friends or be the friend that someone else can lean on is an underrated kind of beauty. It may be painful in the moment, but when you look back on it later, you realize that some of the purest forms of love are when broke college friends do everything they can to mend your broken heart on a shoe-string budget.

It’s a balance between the pain you didn’t deserve or want and the kind of love you needed. 5/10

The Freshmen 15

When you leave home and no longer have your parents governing your food and meals, your eating habits can take quite a hit. Whether it’s eating more than you used to, not eating the right kinds of food, not eating enough, or binging on snack foods and not leaving your bed, the first year of college often means changes in your diet… and your weight.

The Freshmen 15 refers to the weight gain or loss that is typical of freshmen when they get to college. It could go either way, depending on your new dietary and health habits. Potentially, it could be a good thing, if you arrive at college and decide to become a health nut… Usually it’s a lack of discipline. Eating junk food and skipping veggies tastes good in the moment, but the lethargy and added weight is hard to shake. 2/10

Midnight Drives

Sometimes, you need to get away from everything. Sometimes you’ve run yourself ragged trying to get everything done and you reach the end of the day, and you just need to be somewhere else. Grab a friend, grab a car (hopefully one of yours), and take a drive. Blast the music, roll down the windows, or just talk/rant about everything. Even if it’s just for an hour, driving around with a good friend and good vibes is so therapeutic. It’s strange what a midnight drive can do for your mentality, but I can’t recommend it enough. 10/10

An Honest Review of College Life

            You’ve heard it before, college is what you make it. The spontaneous, fun, crazy, and strange experiences that make up the “college experience” are the ones you choose to have. Not everything about college life is fun, and not everything needs to be tried. But don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, let out your inner child, be spontaneous, and let people in. The bad experiences will come, and when they do, let it happen; live through it, learn from it, and keep going.

           My honest review of college life? College is an amazing time of life, full of incredible experiences, life-long friendships, and, of course, learning. It’s stressful, unpredictable, chaotic, challenging, and so, so worth it. Highly Recommend.

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