2012 will mark 10 years since I last carried a college ID… last hung out at a frat party… last thought it was OK to eat grilled cheese at every meal… and last called myself a college student.
It’s hard to believe that I am now that girl — the one that goes back to campus, stands in the middle of the quad and thinks, “they don’t know how good they have it.”
But that’s exactly what I thought when I headed back to Syracuse University for a family wedding a few weeks ago, and it’s exactly what I thought when @ChefKatelyn hosted #Fitblog on Tuesday night and asked:
So I thought it was time to give college Katy a little advice — a message that my current self wishes I’d received at the tender ages of 18-21.
Dear College Katy,
I know that these are the days before digital photography, and you actually have to load and develop film, but please take as many pictures as you can. One day, you will want to look back on your adventures and have some evidence that you did, in fact, have the time of your life.
Go ahead and buy that Jell-o boob mold from the creepy yet amazing sex store on the creepy yet colorful side of town. You and your friends will have an incredible bonding experience when you try and make and then eat the disgusting concoction. You will end up being friends with these girls for life.
It will never again be acceptable to dress like a naughty schoolgirl, attend a pimps and hos party, or portray a fallen angel, so go all out when Halloween comes around.
By the way, you will reconnect with your future husband while wearing said schoolgirl outfit, so seriously — work it, sister.
Go on spring break trips and don’t go home to study. Yes, you’ll have to beg your parents to help pay for the vacation, and no, the things you learn will not help you with your career goals. But you will never be able to travel this freely again — nor stay happily in a one-star motel with 10 other people, get free drinks just by batting your eyelashes or jump on stage to sing with the band and not attract the attention of security.
Being a college student will protect you from mayhem that you will not be able to avoid as an adult.
One note, though? Don’t get your hair braided in Jamaica. Your scalp will burn and leave you in incredible pain, and when you take the braids out, you will need four rounds of deep conditioning.
But do confront your fears and jump off that cliff. Seriously. You will think back to this day for decades to come and remember how great it felt to let it go and just…dive in.
When your friends wake you up in the middle of the night, resist the urge to roll over and go back to bed. Yes, you’ll be sleepy for your 8:30 a.m. class, but you’ll have plenty of time to sleep in the years to come. You will never have the chance to laugh as hard as you will when running around your dorm at 4 a.m.
If you can, find a scratch and sniff dress — like the one your friend is wearing below. It will be the best conversation starter ever.
Don’t be afraid to dream big — you will work very, very hard to earn a dual major, and while you may change paths, you won’t regret picturing yourself in Hannah Storm’s seat one day…and if you get the chance to actually warm up that seat, do it.
Go to all of the college sporting events you can — your football and basketball teams will be nationally known while you’re a student, and you’ll never be able to get in this cheap again. But if you go to Penn State with a friend to watch a game? Wear sunscreen. And don’t put that temporary tattoo on your face.
Spend as much time as you can with your girlfriends, even when you all have boyfriends. Seriously. You will have time for love. You will never again get to live with your best friends…and pour your hearts out together.
You will stay in contact with most of them, but I promise…it won’t be the same.
Feel free to get nerdy — join that quilting club and take part in service activities. They will balance out the bad things you will do. And they will also make you a more caring person when you become an adult.
Don’t eat those gummy bears that have been soaked in Everclear. You will have a 2-day hangover that will haunt you for the rest of your drinking days. I mean it. Stick to the other drinks and remember — beer before liquor, never been sicker.
Take the top bunk if you can.
Enjoy Wegman’s. When you move away, you’ll miss it. Especially the make-your-own caesar salads.
Tell your professors how much they mean to you. When you get older, you’ll realize how great an impact some of the good ones had, and how meaningless some of the bad ones would turn out to be in the long run.
Stick with that dual major, even when people try to talk you out of it.
Be smart, and be safe. But take risks. Kiss lots of boys (but be careful about doing more). Try and eat a few healthy meals in between the crap you find at the dining hall. How about a few salads for lunch?
Don’t worry that your puffy coat is a season behind everyone else, and when the trends change, don’t try and keep up.
About Katy
Aweeee g-frand!!! This is making me even MORE excited!! I am a dual major too, so it gives me hope that I can keep my sanity and also get mah party on.
I am printing this out and putting it in my dorm so I remember!! <3 mwahhh!!
Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn recently posted..#Fitblog + No-Carb Raw Alfredo!
It’s amazing how fast you look back on college and wish you’d enjoyed it more, eh? I would tell myself to live in the moment, and don’t worry so much that you’re not like everyone else…it’s OK!
Hilary recently posted..Child’s Play
Amen to the Wegmans thing. A to the MEN. (Ithaca College grad over here, so we were practically neighbors). But I don’t know about this Ceasar salad station. I know about the bulk candy bins and the make-your-own pasta station. And the fact that it was open 24 hrs because what better place is there to go on a Thursday night at 1 AM when you’re hungry? And their diet coke wannabe that was the best tasting diet soda ever. Oh Weggies. I miss it so.
Hallie recently posted..THE Wedding Recap! Part Two
College Kara,
Have fun, but don’t drink as much as the guys you hang out with. You are a lightweight, and a girl, and while you’ve got some funny stories to look back on, you’ve also got some heinously embarrassing ones (throwing up in the White Castle drive-thru, for example) that you can totally live without.
Also, it’s fine that you kissed a bunch of boys — it doesn’t make you a slut, and you’re going to meet your husband second semester freshman year, so you don’t have that much time to kiss all the frogs!
And go to class — ALL of them, even Spanish at 8:30am — and stop procrastinating so damn much. All-nighters are awesome, but sleep is pretty awesome too. And major in Psych from the start — you know don’t really want to be a teacher.
Finally, don’t stress about the small stuff. Your life turns out unbelievably awesomely.
xoxoxo,
Future Kara
I’m only three years out of college, so hopefully there’s more cherishing to come, but I would tell myself to have fun with your college boyfreind but don’t spend too long dwindling over the college breakup. He isn’t the one, and you’ll realize that you are more prepared for the relationships to come having experienced this one.
Jessica @ Sushi and Sit-Ups recently posted..What works for me
OMG, I love this! I only graduated 4 years ago, but there are a lot of things I would change or do differently in hindsight… Go ahead and major in PE and do the 5 year Master’s Program. Your future husband will be willing to wait for you another year before you get married – and you’ll be more likely to have a teaching job 4 years later. (Still kicking myself for that one, but I still love how things have turned out.) And about the friends thing like you said – enjoy it while you can! I loved living with my best friend and she now lives 5 hours away – before that, the farthest apart we had ever lived was 100 feet! It’s definitely not the same now that we are on our own.
Kristen recently posted..orange leaf
Your post is so appropriate with the start of the academic year just around the corner! I would tell myself to study abroad for a semester. Thankfully, I semi-rectified that one during grad school by interning at a school across the country. The biggest lesson learned: travel is a beautiful educator, if you let it. I would also tell my college self to not date people I work with because it never ends well. Lastly, I would tell myself to become more involved in the campus community because there is something for everyone and amazing people to meet. I wonder what I’ll tell my grad school self 5 years from now…
Ellen recently posted..Month 2 On The Job: Finding My Role(s)
So timely since I take my son to college next week, 30 years after I started my freshman year. I had a whole list of things I’d tell him. But what I am going to share when I blog about it next week is that you should make it your best but it is not necessarily the best years of your life. Mine came after:)
Karen@WaistingTime recently posted..On the Road Again; I Just Hate to Get on the Road Again
I love this! There is so, so much I would say to my college self. I may borrow your idea for a future post, if that’s ok with you
Victoria recently posted..Making It Work
I dont think the wegman’s caesar salads are as good as their SUBS!!
That is the ONE thing I miss about living in Syracuse, is wegmans. oh… and my family of course
Can we e-mail Danny Wegman and tell him he needs to move his beloved chain south? Harris Teeter is Just not the same and the whole paycheck is too expensive!
Mary recently posted..Everything Changes
oh.. and Dear College Merr Berr
PLEASE dump that dude you’ve been dating for the last little while, you KNOW he’s not your type and that you are wasting valuable boy kissing time while you’re trying to savor your long distance relationship between elmira and UB. Plus, you’ll meet your future husband when you move to NC anyway.
plus, you KNOW you like that ROTC boy who has been eyeing you for months better anyway.
Mary recently posted..Everything Changes
Dear college self,
Do not drop out for half a year to get married. He never calls back.
Do not fool around with someone in the top bunk or on a wooden balcony. Bad idea kid.
Do not drink 13 pineapple and vodkas at a party. You won’t feel that good.
Do not get yourself in a dither over a boy. It’s nit worth it and you end up making your self look cray cray.
Have fun. Leave your room. Meet people. Make friends. Don’t make long distance phone calls to LA. Bad idea.
Work out. Join an intramural. Do something. You won’t regret it.
aw I love this post. I did a similar one when my sister graduated from PC in May. I agree with all of your words, but especially spend every moment with your friends. It’s never the same once you leave college although we are still as close. Great post!
Nicole (Making Good Choices) recently posted..Want to Save Calories? Try Almost Oil-Free Pesto!
First…gummy bears soaked in Everclear!? Best and worst idea ever all dumped into one gooey mess!
Dear College Self -
Do NOT rush to get your major over, especially if you are 3/4 of the way through and realize you don’t want to be doing that for the rest of your life! Take a step back, take a deep breath and seriously consider changing from a business major to a science major…at least think about it before tossing the idea out the window, you’ll be glad later.
Definitely DO study abroad, even if it is only for 2 months in the summer. Go, go, go! You might have to leave behind the new fiance but you will never again be able to travel as a student rather than a tourist.
Heidi Nicole recently posted..At least they can ID me…
I love this! Makes me sad though too. I miss the best four years of my life. I went to penn state and had a tatto sticker mark sunburn for days too!
Awe, it looks like you had some great college years! Reading this made me sad I wasted mine. I would tell my college self, “Do not spend “the best years of your life” playing “house wife” to a jerk. Make friends, have fun, live YOUR life, explore the world.” So many times I wish I could have my college years back for a do-over, but at the same time, getting to know myself in my mid/late 20′s hasn’t been so bad either.
chandra recently posted..Back in the Kitchen
Wegmans is my favorite thing ever. I went to school in Rochester, where it was founded. My husband went to Syracuse and eventually they built two locations in my hometown of Erie, PA too. I missed it so much when I first moved to DC. But then they opened a location somewhat nearby. It’s too far (30 minute drive) to go to regularly, but we go there for special occasions, like shopping for Thanksgiving dinner.
Great post, I enjoyed all the pictures.
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