Take time to appreciate college while it’s happening

Photo: Tulane Public Relations via Flickr CCBY2.0

Devon Greene
The Xaverian Weekly

ANTIGONISH (CUP) — They say that college or university will be the best years of our lives — the years that will define us and shape us into the person we will become. That is a lot of pressure put on already stressful years. What is it about this experience that is so pivotal?

The truth is that these years don’t define you because they are more important, but because there are more options. There are more paths you can take and a single choice can alter the course of the rest of your life in amazing ways.

When I was in high school I hated hearing this, but as a fourth-year student I think it’s true. Looking back, I was a different person altogether. It may sound cliché, but these are the years when you will be presented with incredible opportunities that aren’t possible when you have a career, a mortgage or a family.

Student housing is a unique experience. You have the rest of your life to live in a decent house or apartment. You can live in a run-down student house now and not feel bad about it. You can live with complete strangers and know that you will at least have your school in common, if nothing else.

It is also probably the only time that your home will be so temporary. Student leases are easy come, easy go; if you don’t like the people you are living with, move next year. You can live in a different place every year if you want to. Finding a great group of people to live with early in your program is amazing, but finding people you hate living with can be a valuable experience as well. It’s a great way to find out what type of people you can live with, and what things drive you crazy.

When you move to a strange new city to find a job, you won’t have the option to move around year-to-year. So experiment with accommodation. Live on a busy street, try a quiet area, have a couple roommates or 10. You’ll have a better idea of what to look for when you move on.

Universities and colleges are unique places made up of people from all different walks of life. Your friends will be from different places, be enrolled in different programs and have different hobbies than you. When you’re older, the majority of your friends will be people from work or people you met through common hobbies. At no other time will you be exposed to such a variety of lifestyles simultaneously. Joining clubs is a great way to expand this exposure even further.

Whether through classes or associations, there are amazing opportunities open to all students. Clubs receive funding and do fundraising throughout the year to make these opportunities accessible for everyone. I was completely new to almost everything I tried and I never felt like I was out of place or too inexperienced to be there. Open-minded people created a safe, judgement-free environment to explore.

One of the most important things I’ve learned is that it’s okay to be dirt-poor. I can’t stress this enough; student living is hard—for everyone. Some people are better off than others, but for the most part we are all struggling. Embrace it.

Being a student is a great excuse to be poor so don’t be afraid to be cheap. You’re not going to look any cooler blowing all your money at the bar; you’ll just regret it later. Take advantage of student discounts. There are some really great deals out there for students. Don’t be afraid to use the food bank on campus, that’s what it’s there for.

People don’t judge students for being broke, they expect it. There is no need to be embarrassed. You have the rest of your life to make money and stress about it. Wear a sweater and turn down the heat, look up some cheap recipe ideas or live off cereal for a while. Things will get better, but for now there isn’t a lot you can do about your financial situation.

The things you do and the people who you surround yourself with will be the difference between an amazing experience and one that is sub-par. So be bold, be brave, be broke if you have to, but most importantly, embrace your student lifestyle because it won’t last forever.