College is a big step in the life of a high school senior.  It is their first time really being on their own without anyone to hold their hand.  At least for me it is.  This big move can be awfully scary for someone who has not been without her parents for longer than a week.  Especially when you are so use to things they do for you that you might not even realize.  Small things like cooking meals for you, or doing your laundry.

Of course these are things I know how to do, relatively.  But going to college, it is all on your own.

It’s your own fault if your laundry starts to pile up or you forget to eat lunch or dinner a few days in a row.  What about laundry detergent? Up until yesterday I did not even know there was such thing as powdered detergent, but apparently thats cheaper than the liquid kind.  Does the kind of detergent you use make a difference?  How many pieces of clothing can you put in the washer/dryer at a time? I don’t even know if there is a number for that.  When you think about doing laundry it doesn’t sound like a very daunting task, but when you really think about it, its not something you’re use to doing

Everyone loves a home cooked meal.  Sadly you can kiss them goodbye if you are living on campus.  Getting use to cafeteria food three times a day is going to be a big change for some people.  Especially for people like me who have breakfast at home, their parents pack their lunch, or they have home cooked meals almost every night for dinner.  But there is also a plus to having cafeteria food, at many colleges they have a lot of different varieties of food.  It definitely is not like our High School cafeteria food, they are feeding thousands of students so there has to be something for everyone.

Most students have had their parents by their side since birth, helping them with problems or school work.  In college you are on your own.  If you have a problem you have to work it out alone or maybe with friends, you have a problem doing homework you need to talk to a professor.  Thats another thing about college, the teachers are definitely not the same as high school.  Professors aren’t going to hold your hand or walk you through everything step by step, they are going to explain something and expect you to keep up.  Unless your professor is laid back or really into extra help.

College is going to be a big change, are we really ready for it?  Are we ready to be on our own and take care of ourselves without our parents there for us? The real world is waiting for us so lets get ready to take it by storm.