As a twenty year old college junior, growing up and transitioning is something that is around the corner. Soon I will have to be “adulting”. There is always a lot of talk about the transition from college to the “real world” and I want to highlight that along with questions I ask myself about this topic.
The First Life Transitions
Most transitions that come in our lives is through education. From elementary to middle school to high school. All through these transitions, we are with the same people with very little variation. Obviously, classes get bigger and more people are added as you go to bigger schools but overall the core from that very first elementary school is still there. This all changes in college. The transition from high school to college is the first time that people are letting go of that support system that has always somewhat been there.
New to College
Now, my experience was way different than most in my freshman and sophomore year because of covid. I feel like my class was automatically bonded from this experience. We spent all of our time in the dorms. Online classes and all social activities were edited with social distancing. I made friends very quickly and still have them all to my junior year. I feel like this isn’t particularly normal but covid wasn’t normal either.
Upperclassmen
Now as a junior, living off campus in my sorority house, it is very different. I don’t live down the hall from my friends and it takes effort to plan and reach out to catch up. All our lives up to this point, friends have been made based on location. If they are in your classes, live near you, or go to the same school. It is different now. Adult relationships take much more effort.
Beyond Education
Moving into life after undergraduate studies, some people will get more education but I don’t think that is in the card for me. I am really scared to leave a walkable college campus and move to a new city. I am nervous that the friendships that I have made though educational systems will be too hard to upkeep and will fade. What if I do take a professional risk and I fail? From what I have observed, most people are friends with their co-workers. Once they have kids, are friends with their kids friends parents. But what if I move jobs or don’t have kids? These are the questions about growing up that I ask myself.
Learn more about me!
