Confessions of a Freshman College Student

When people think of college kids they generally think of sorority's and fraternity's and all-night keg parties. There is truth in this, but as most stereotypes go, that truth is limited. If you're remembering your college days and what to see what's changed or just wondering what your child is up to their first year in college, get ready for an inside look.

I'm actually working.
That's right. Vanish the slacker pre-conception of college students from your mind. There is no sleeping in until noon here. No way. I'm actually working in more than one sense. I'm working in the traditional college sense in that I'm writing papers and doing homework assignments and working on projects and what not, but I'm also involved in many, many other things. Keep in mind that the cost of college is rising far faster and way beyond the rate of inflation. With the super speedy escalation of attending college, I'm also working one or two part-time jobs just to keep myself afloat. I'm also involved in numerous extra-curriculars. That's work as well. My day starts around 5:30 am and usually ends around midnight once I finish the last bit of my homework. I'm working lawyer's hours.

I don't party that much.
I don't go out every night of the week. With all the work I'm doing as I mentioned before, I'm lucky to get out one night a week. I most likely spend time in with friends just relaxing and watching Grey's Anatomy. After a long long day, it can be hard to dress up and go out when you've got some ice cream, friends, and the first two seasons of Grey's Anatomy on DVD. So, I don't party in the normal sense of the word.

I do eat really weird food.
When was the last time you ate at a college cafeteria? The food isn't great, but it's not horrendous either. What's weird is the combinations of food I'm able to come up with. And by the way, Ramen noodles really is the poster-food of college students. That hasn't changed. It's got high carbohydrates for immediate energy! Of course, after the all too short energy binge, you crash.

Freshman fifteen?
Not so much. With my schedule I'm always moving. It may not be a heart-pounding hour on the elliptical but it's movement none the less. However, because I don't have that much time to hit the gym, any muscle I once had has quickly deteriorated. So while I may not have actually gained any weight, I'm still in pretty bad shape. Ramen noodles isn't exactly muscle building material.

I am experimenting.
That's right. You heard me. I'm experimenting will all sorts of new things. Foods, people, cultures, religions, political beliefs, hobbies, interests. Don't be suprised if your kid comes home a completely different person than when they left. Afterall, they've just been exposed to the full-gamet of human experience. (Well, close to it.) Don't be too quick to condemn a new hobbie, interest, or belief. It will most likely be dropped in six months and those that aren't, well, there's no point in being annoying.

I may or may not miss you.
This is one of those things that's highly volatile. I may not miss you, but I sure do miss our pets. Or I may not miss you or the pets, but I really miss the city. Or I could care less about the city and I miss my comfy bed in my familiar room. Homesickness is one thing that really varies across freshman college students. Don't be offended if your kid asks about the dog rather than you, they're just expressing their homesickness in a different way.

There are many more "secrets" of the newly annointed freshman college student, but to reveal them all would be time-consuming and would take away all the mystery. So, hopefully you got a little insight into the average freshman college student.