Monday, October 12, 2015

The Nerd Herd: A Brief Survival Guide To College

It has been a long time since my last post. My life has been a hundred different kinds of chaotic in the last few months. I spent most of my summer traveling to Wyoming, St. Louis, and Texas. Then the start of the new semester brought new stresses (like an accounting class), and a new job. Blogging moved to the back of my mind, and trying to learn how to be an adult moved to the front. The fact that I'm posting now does not mean I have figured out adulthood. It just means that adulthood is stressful, I need a break, and I am between classes.

This semester, I have found a new favorite place to kill time between classes. It is an area of the campus Student Center my boyfriend affectionately calls "the nerd herd." It is a spot out in the open with comfy chairs, plenty of power outlets, and lost of chair-side tables. It is in between the vending machines and a little room where gamers meet up. They seem to play a lot of Magic (if you need to ask what it is, you don't want to know), and then other games on their computers. The chairs in the space between the gamers and snack machines get filled by lots of interesting characters. This is my new favorite spot because it is perfect for people watching (one of my favorite pastimes, but not in a creepy way).

Most people seem to require absolute silence in order to study or do homework. I am one of people who loves it to be loud and lively. That doesn't mean I'm about to hit the books at a concert or pep rally. I just like a reasonable amount of sound. For some reason, it helps me to focus. The nerd herd is the perfect place for me to study, browse Pinterest, or write a blog post. I think that is the most important thing all college students need to have on their campus: a place that makes them comfortable enough to get whatever work done that they need to do.

If you are a new student entering college, or if you are a well-worn senior, there are some things that can make your life a lot easier. The first is finding that comfy nook to study. Another important thing you need to do is to become comfortable being alone. This doesn't mean you have to be that quiet unsocial person that is scared of human interaction and is found dead in their house with lots of cats  80 years later. Friends are good, dating is good, study groups are good, clubs are good, and meeting with your professor is good. However, your friends and significant other won't always be available to sit with you between classes. In high school, you always had someone to walk to class or eat lunch with, but in college it's not always the same. Do not freak out. Stay calm. This is okay. In fact, its a really good thing. Being comfortable sitting alone in your own world is a life skill that is just as valuable as being able to be social. These are your years to be comfortable with yourself. When you are happy with yourself, you will find yourself doing well at lots of things. Being alone actually helps you to be more confidant, so you will have an easier time managing your stress and being that social butterfly you strive to be.

Then on the other side, you must also take these years to learn how to be comfortable when your not alone. Being social can be a scary thing. And, yeah, people sometimes suck, but avoiding the human race can be dangerous. So take this time to become someone who is okay with talking to people. Something I'm learning is that you can still enjoy being social even if you hate people. College is about school and making good grades, but it is also about figuring out who you are. This is a time to make friends, enemies, and plenty of mistakes. If you screw up now, it is okay. That is next thing you need to learn for your college experience. It is okay to fail.

Growing up, we are told that failing is a horrible, scary thing that will ruin your life. That is true if you do something like rob a bank or go on a mass murder spree (I am not saying you should do either of those). However, if you mess up a little, it is okay. Hell, it's practically expected. If you fail a test, it's okay. If you fail a class, it's okay. If you decide you want to try Jell-o shots for the first time and end up puking on your cat (notice it's a singular cat...don't be a cat lady/man), it's okay as long as you give him a bath. If you screw up no one will hold a red hot poker to your eye until you cry and apologize. You can survive a few mistakes in life. No one gets through to the end by being perfect. That doesn't mean you need to stop trying and give up. Just don't freak out over the small hiccups in the road.

So when you are going through college and you feel like your head is going to implode, go to your designated comfy spot on campus and take a breath. Remember, when in doubt, you can always visit your local pet shop. Pet some puppies and feel better. College isn't easy, and no one expects you to do everything right. If you are freaking out, it's safe to say the person to your left is also....especially if I am sitting to your left. Remember:

Don't worry!
Stay calm!
You've got this!