Why Being A College Student Sucks Sometimes…

“College is draining the life out of me”

“Why must this be so tough?”

“I’m just stupid and I can’t do it.”

I’ve heard so many people complain about how difficult it is to be in college: the work, the time, jobs, taking care of yourself, and the rest. When you go away to college with stars in your eyes, parents and peers will most likely tell you it’s going to be challenging yet rewarding, hard yet gratifying, complicated yet worth it.

Everyone talks about the academic point of it. But very few look at the other side.

So college is tough on you. It is. What I’ve realized is that nobody is born stupid. Everyone I’ve met has the ability to absorb information, process it, and make something out of it. But what they don’t talk about in all the “CHOOSE US!” university brochures is the emotional stress of it all.

Yes. Emotions. You have them too.

You’re in college, and emotions probably will mess with your papers and readings. You’ll feel isolated, hopeless, in despair. And if you’re in another country, you’ll miss the feeling of home. College will start to feel familiar and homey but a shamble second best version of it. Arguments with friends might play around with the test you have in the morning, or a late night might lead to a missed 8 AM class. 

And this is why being a college student is hard work. It’s time, time, time. You give time to your work, to your friends, to family, pets, exams, papers, food, laundry, social networks, and the lonely kid sitting alone at the back of class. Or your friends might yell, your family might disown you, your pet might die, people might forget who you are, and that lonely kid might swallow arsenic and it’ll all be your fault. And through all this you have to stay motivated, focused, and love what you’re doing for God’s sake.

It’s no wonder they don’t print this in the brochures.