Things Only People Who Went To College Will Understand

Excitement Of The Acceptance Letter

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Receiving the long-awaited acceptance letter for your chosen college can be one of the most exciting moments of your life up until that moment. It almost feels like all of your hard work in education up until that point has really paid off and it shows that you're really on the path to where you want to be.

The Anxious Wait For The Letter

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Yes, it's very exciting when you finally receive the letter, but the wait leading up to that final moment can cause a lot of anxiety. You probably found yourself refreshing the email inox repeatedly until it finally came through. It probably caused you a load of sleepless nights!

Struggling To Balance Everything

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College life can become very much a balancing act when it comes down to having to juggle all the various aspects. Not only do you need to make sure you keep up with all of your academic work, but you need to make sure that you can still maintain your relationships and work commitments too.

Pulling Some All Nighters

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Every single college student will have at least one story in relation to them having to pull an all-nighter to complete some work. Deadlines might be in place for ages but there was always that one moment where we had to keep ourselves up all night, fuelled by caffeine to get things done.

Dealing With Group Projects

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Group projects are often some of the most frustrating bits of work that any college student has to be a part of and it ends up being more work than necessary. Not only can it be awkward, but you also have to manage the different work ethics' and schedules that everyone has to offer.

Having To Budget With Limited Funds

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One of the more awkward moments that we have to come to live with at college is the limited budget we have available. All students end up becoming experts in saving cash whether that be discounted textbooks or buying rubbish food in order to keep some form of a social life.

Discovering New Interests

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College is a period of time in which people can often discover a whole new range of different interests or hobbies. This might be a newfound passion for a subject, but typically it's an extracurricular activity like a sport or shared experience that might end up following them in life.

Finding The Perfect Study Spot

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Finding somewhere for yourself to study is probably not that difficult, colleges will have designated spots. However, these can get busy or they might not match the vibe you're looking for. With some time you'll find the perfect spot to work from, maybe in a coffee shop, a library, or your own room.

Questionable Dorm Room Meals

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Living in a dorm comes with some debatable living issues, one of which is the meals we might make within them. You might think that what you start to make will be gourmet, but there's not much you can do with the limited equipment, space and funding that a college student has available.

The Cafeteria Options

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Ah, we would have all spent hours and hours of our college lives within the cafeteria, some positive but also many negative!  You have to navigate through a world of mystery meats, weird pizzas and on some occasion a meal that you actually really enjoy. It's a shared experience at least.

Dorm Life

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Dorm life is very much a rite of passage that we all have to embrace from the moment that we finally make it to college. You'll probably have come across some quirky roommates or people, have some weird late night hallway conversations and ultimately some of the most memorable moments of your history.

Moving To A New City

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Many people choose to stay in their own city or town for their entire lives without leaving, but many people choose to travel away for college. It's absolutely daunting but it's also exciting and you end up being able to discover a whole different world away from the comfort of your parents.

Graduation Day Pride

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Graduation day, like the moment you receive an acceptance letter to college, is a sign of the culmination to all of your hard work up until that point. All those late nights and sacrifices you've made to get your work done is all on show as you strut across stage in your cap and gown. It's really like no other feeling.

Midterm And Final Exam Pressures

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Perhaps the most stressful aspect of college is the pressure that midterm and finals exams force on a person, sleepless nights and days of caffeine can become all too normal. However, helping each other through moments like this can help blind students together forever.

Living Away From Home

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I know I've already mentioned that you move cities, but living away from home brings a whole load of problems. It's a big transformation, having to learn how to manage your own finances, do your own laundry, and begin looking out for yourself more. You can quickly miss your family when you need them most!

Picking A Major

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Picking a major to study in can be one of the most major milestones in the journey of a student, it can pretty much shape the rest of your career and life.  It might seem like an easy thing to do, but no one can prepare you for the stress that it might cause if you don't already have a set plan.

Meeting A Whole New Group Of Friends

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College is basically a diverse melting pot of a whole range of different people from different walks of life. You'll come across pretty much anyone, particularly in the opening weeks! But the friends you make at college can end up becoming a defining aspect of your journey and your partners in crime for the future.

Memorable College Traditions

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Every college will have their own unique traditions, and these aspects can often lead to some of the most memorable moments of your college life. This might be something like rivalry football games to big parties, but they'll definitely be cherished when you look back on your education.

Wearing College Apparel

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Some people choose not to wear the clothing their college sells or supplies their students with, but for many it's almost like a badge of honour. You're pretty much showing off your allegiance to your school and it will always be able to signify the many memories you made whilst there too.

Missing Your Family And Friends

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Nothing really prepares you for how difficult it can actually be to be so far away from your friends and family. Even if you've long dreamed of moving out and having your own space, you can quickly realise how important they are to you and how much you'll want to go home and visit them.

Themed College Parties

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College life really wouldn't be what it is if there wasn't the crazy themed parties for students to choose to attend. From gatherings like costume extravaganzas to random sorority gatherings, there would be something for everyone to attend and reminisce about in the long run.

Getting Your First Job Offer After College

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As you've probably worked out, the whole process of college is filled with moments of excitement and pride. Perhaps none more so than when you land your first job offer. It further validates all of your hard work and you can begin anticipating what is still to come in the future.

The Post College Sadness

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The transition that comes from college out into the real world can also be quite bittersweet. You say goodbye to your familiar routines as well as your friends and the entire college life. Many people claim to go through a period of post-college depression in the months after they finally leave.

Important Hours With Professors

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Many people end up turning their eyes away when it comes to independent time with professors, but this can be some of the most invaluable time you'll get at college. They can offer some important insights and mentoring moments that could be crucial both academically and personally.

Rollercoaster Emotions

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College life, as I'm sure you all know, can be a real rollercoaster of emotions. This is something you learn to live with throughout the process, especially as you go through periods of stress as well as the elation of success. It's a long and tough ride, but it wouldn't be right any other way.

Deciding What Thesis To Write

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Trying to choose a topic to for your thesis is almost as difficult a decision as you'll make throughout your entire process. All of your work and studying comes down to this, so how do you know what to dedicate all of your time and effort into working towards to make it all worth it.

Finally Handing Your Thesis In

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Not only does it take a lot of hard work and effort to determine your thesis topic, but it causes an unnecessary amount of stress. Finally submitting the thesis is very relieving to the mind, but it can also lead to some longer stretches of anxiety as you wait to hear some feedback.

Thinking You've Failed When You Haven't

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You won't have been alone when it comes to this feeling, self-doubt is often an overriding emotion when it comes to college students. Once something has been submitted for marking, we are often quick to expect the worst results even if we have no reason to think that will be the case.

Finding The Right Clubs To Hang Out In

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Although college is about furthering your education and helping you succeed in life, you're also going out there to try and find some social groups too. You'll become accustomed to a number of clubs or bars to hang out in and this might be where you build those essential relationships.

Learning To Love Coffee

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Let's be honest, coffee becomes one of the most loyal companions anyone can have when it comes to college. It will partner you through the late-night study sessions, early morning classes and last minute rushing; learning to love coffee might be one of the most important things you can do.