Even though we’re halfway through fall semester, there are some things college students, especially freshmen, still struggle with on a daily basis. The stereotypes of what a typical college student should look and act like are constantly being shoved into student’s faces, making it difficult to stray from the path of conformity. But I’m here to share with you five things that college students should not feel guilty about.
1. Not going out on the weekends. Everyone needs a break sometimes, and if that means going to bed early on a Friday night, so be it. Trust me, there will be plenty of Friday and Saturday nights, and you’ll regret being tired the next day more than you’ll regret staying in.
2. Eating by yourself. Sometimes, your schedule just doesn’t line up with your best friend’s, and that’s okay. Everyone has to eat, and there’s no reason to be ashamed of walking into the dining hall alone.
3. Going to office hours. Professors can be intimidating and there’s so much pressure to make a good impression that sometimes it’s just easier to avoid them than to go to your prof’s office hours. But the thing is, going can actually give you a huge advantage in the long run in terms of recommendation letters for job and grad school applications, and even connections to these opportunities. If you don’t want to go unprepared, think about a question you had in class to get the conversation started.
4. Failing a test. Sometimes, no matter how much you study, tests can blindside you. It happens to the best of us, and instead of dwelling on it it’s best to move on and study harder for the next one, or even go to your professor’s office hours and ask what else you can do.
5. Going to the library alone. Most of the time it’s more productive to go study by yourself than it is to go with a big group anyway. If you feel awkward going to study alone, try going to the quiet floors first. It’s not like people are socializing there anyway.
Remember that while some of these things might make you want to crawl up in your bed and never leave your room again, they do get easier with time. Plus, no one is paying as much attention to you as you think they are. So, work on breaking out of your comfort zone, and I can promise you’ll thank yourself in the future.