We are officially into the month of August, and that means one thing, back to school. But, if you are a recent college graduate, you might not be used to not having school. This means there are no new notebooks and folders to buy, no new clothes to con off your parents, and no new material to learn.
Some of you may have left college behind you never to be seen again, but for many of us, it was a significant and pivotal four years in our lives. And just because you’ve moved on from college and it would be weird to go back, doesn’t mean that you won’t greatly miss many parts of it. So, what do you do when you start tearing up at your underclassmen friend’s first-day photos on Instagram? You come back to this article and remember the perks of being a college graduate.
You’re Making Real Money
If you have a real adult job, that means you’re making a whole lot more than that minimum wage you made working retail last summer. That means that you don’t cringe every time you see a sandwich that’s over $10 on a menu and actually can buy more than one drink at a bar. Not to mention you don’t have to pay for college. Yeah, you might have student loans, but at least you’re not taking any more out.
The College Comparison Game Is Over
Well, hopefully, it is. At college, when you are surrounded with so many people your age, it can be too easy to second guess yourself. You wake up and see girls who have better makeup and actually showered before their 8 am classes. You hear about people snagging their dream job or internship when you’ve put out 100 applications and don’t even have one interview to show for it. You don’t have to feel bad about doing absolutely nothing on a Friday night. You don’t have to cry when the teacher announces the class average for your test. You hopefully have your first real job. And, the only way someone knows what is going on with you, is if they ask.
Goodbye To Those Annoying People
We all had those people in our majors, sororities, and social sphere that were just plain annoying. Maybe they were always causing drama, always answering questions in class, or just rubbed you the wrong way, but they’re out of your life forever. Seriously, if you don’t want to ever interact with people from your graduating class ever again, you don’t have to. Now, I am not advising that, but it’s nice that the people that might have tainted your college experience are now gone forever. Trust me, if you keep ignoring their texts, they’ll get the message.
Real Food
Now, I have to say I find cooking a huge pain, but that being said, I also hated most of my college’s food. I ate a burger and fries every day for the past four years because everything else was inedible. Now, you can make healthy, vegan, or gluten free meals for yourself on a regular basis. ou want to make. And, you don’t have to cut people in line the one time they serve chicken patties.
No-Stress
Is your face now smooth like butter? Are your hangnails gone? That my friends is because you aren’t ridiculously stressed out of your mind 7 out of 7 days of a week. You actually have down time, you actually get 8 hours of sleep a night, and you can actually take care of yourself. Just don’t let those stress dreams about a paper being due in four hours actually make you rush to your computer, it’s just a dream.
Spending Intentional Time With People
Plan a time to visit your college friends or your friends who are no longer in college. It’s such a gift to be able to interact with your best friends without the guilt of the work you’re procrastinating on, the millions of clubs you’re in charge of, and not sleeping. So go have fun with your friends and don’t think of anything else. And, since you actually have money, you can do something other than going to Sheetz.
No Homework
I might actually have started tearing up a little bit as I write this sentence because I never have to lead or participate in another group project. Let’s take a moment of silence for all our friends who still have to. But, you never have to write another paper, never have to study for another test, never have to make flashcards, never have to sit through another horrible lecture from a dry professor. It’s over. It’s done. Your GPA no longer defines you. Let’s just celebrate that today.
Those perks aside, I truly loved my college experience more than anything. I am going to miss it terribly and I am sure that you are going to as well. But just remember when you’re sad, that there are many advantages to being a real adult. And, if you’re missing your college, it’s a tribute to the great experience you had!