Hey it's Alex! I know...it's been awhile...but that's just because Sami and I have been going through this long transition into college life. And now that we've kind of gotten settled, we're ready to touch base with you guys and share our experiences thus far.
TOP 3 THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT HAVE CHANGED THE MOST SINCE COLLEGE
1. Social Life: One of the most exhilarating things about college is not having to ask your parents when you want to do something...unless it involves a large sum of money. There are also tons of new people around you that are all eager to make new friends so there's always plenty to do. For me it was the first time I really felt like I could have whatever kind of life I wanted. It figures that it's similar to what I had before. I split my free time between my man and a core group of friends. At this point my group isn't like Sami, Kristen, Ashley and I were in high school because we've only been in school a month and haven't known each other for like a lifetime. Another huge difference is that I have a lot more free time to do things like watch TV, read magazines, and color pictures of panda bears, yes panda bears.
*And about the whole partying thing...yes there are plenty of parties to go to during the weekends and often during the week, but if you don't want to go it's not a big deal. Or if you just want to go to them sometimes, whenever you don't there are always plenty of other things to do. So if you're not into that kind of thing don't stress about it. I go to what I can when I feel like it and hang out with my boy or people around my dorm when I don't. Or I just watch TV.
2. School: One of my favorite things about college is actually the getting an education part! I love my school (Loyola Marymount University GO LIONS), and I actually enjoy learning! The biggest difference from high school is that your classes typically revolve around your major so for the most part you're taking classes in subjects you like. I'm a Communication Studies major (hopefully I'll be switching to Film Production next semester), and yeah I'll have to take math next semester and two semesters of science, but my other classes are awesome. Here's my schedule:
-Intro to Choreography
-Philosophy of the Human Nature
-Intro to Public Speaking
-Young America
-Intro to Drama (Literature)
And I like all of those! Not to mention right now I don't even have that much homework. It might depend on your major and just different teachers you have because I have friends that have a lot more than me. (Oh and NOTE TO AP STUDENTS THAT THINK AP CLASSES ARE WORTHLESS- Getting a 4 on my AP English Language test got me out of my College Writing class which is what carries the bulk of every other freshman's course load at my school. So take AP classes and take the tests!) Anyway I actually like doing the homework for these classes too, like the reading is really interesting and yeah.
LOVE: This is important! So the general consensus about starting college is that you should break up with your significant other. People say this because long distance relationships are difficult to manage and because they think it's harder to meet people with a boyfriend or girlfriend. And while I see their point, I think it's stupid. There is not one right way to have a good college experience just like there's not one right way to have a good high school experience or life in general. Long distance relationships can be trying because you're used to seeing them every day and you probably can't now, but the success of the relationship depends both on the distance and the commit of both parties. Personally, I can see who I want to see within about 45 minutes so it's not too much of a sacrifice if I want to see him once or twice a week. Sami can tell you more about her experience too, but I can make my relationship work. On top of that, you are living with your peers so there is always enough time to socialize. I can understand not wanting to be that girl or guy who's on the phone with their boo when everyone else is out partying, but yeah you could just call before you go to the party. Like I said before, I have way more free time than I ever did in high school so I have no problem juggling a boyfriend with my social life and school work.
*And just in case you were wondering....yes, Sami and I still talk all the time!
Ahh! we haven't done one of these things in a while, it feels good to be back! okay so here are my top three things that have changed the most in college
1. SOCIAL LIFE: my number one would defiantly have to be the same as Alex's, your social life changes drastically in college. I think it might be because you're living with a bunch of young adults with absolutly NO supervision, we can basically get away with anything we want here, well at my school at least. I LOVE not having to tell my parents where I am or when I'm going to be back. you meet so many cool new people in college, and there is anyways something to do, rarely are you going to find yourself with nothing to do on a friday or saturday night. I'm completely loving my social life at the moment, I feel so free and being in a city (San Francisco) I can either going to a party or go to a concert or go out to dinner, there are so many options, i mean think that I would get sick of the whole party scene if that was the only thing to do, so I'm loving it. I think another big thing is the friends that you make, I was super spoiled and had the most amazing group of friends back home, they know me better than anyone, so meeting new people and making new friends was super weird at first, but once you get past that it feels like I'm a camp, awkward stage you meet some amazing people. the people on your floor will become like your family, I'm lucky because I love my roommate and I hang out with her like all the time, but I've met some amazing people, and you meet new people everyday! I also love having people right down the hall that i can go hang out with whenever, things are so much easier when your friends live right down the hall.
2. SCHOOL: so this is the main reason that I'm going to college, to get an education, but its weird classes take up such a small amount of your day, and I rarely have homework, but I'm absolutly loving my classes right now! its probably because I'm taking classes that I'm actually interested in, but even my core classes are super interesting. I feel like I've learned so much more in the past month than I did in high school. and I really don't have that much homework, i mean i have a ton more reading and more papers but its no big deal. I love that I only have classes for like 4 hours a day, and I'm super lucky because I don't have any classes on fridays, so three day weekends for me! i thought that classes were going to be super scary and intimidating but they're not at all!
*Note from Alex: If you can get a schedule like Sami's, DO IT!! I'm so jealous that she has three-day weekends and I'm not done with classes till 3 on Fridays.
3. LOVE: okay well... hmm... this is an interesting topic, and Alex and I probably aren't the best people to be talking, because we, well I did for sure, kinda mess things up recently... but heres my advice: decide before you leave what you and your significant other are going to be, whether that is together or not, decide before you leave, because things get sticky when you break up and then decide once your gone that you still want to be together, it probably wont work out. I mean I've always been the first person to say that staying with your high school boyfriend/girlfriend is lame and a bad idea, but I mean if you think you can make it work then go for it! just be cautious because mistake do happen, expecially when they are all the way across the country and your not completely sober... so be aware that things may happen.
So basically I'm loving college, you have more freedom, more free time, there are more people, its just all around a good experience!
