It’s not only my very last column for KSUBuzz, but it’s also the very last week of school for me as well. This means the real world is about to come and smack me in the face — and I am far from ready for it. I actually felt more ready for the real world my freshman year of college, mainly because I thought I knew everything at 18. I mean I was an adult, right? Wrong. I still don’t feel like an adult and I am 23. So in the cheesiest of article topics I am going to tell you what I miss about college, even though I haven’t left yet.

All-nighters

I know, I know. How could I miss the dreaded all-nighters? Let me specify: I miss college all-nighters, which consisted of minimal studying and mostly eating junk food and talking to everyone around you with loud music playing. Essentially, this was a party that I could say I was being productive at. Now, all-nighters are real and you’re up alone, chugging coffee and actually doing work. The worst part is, in college, you stay up all night, go to class for an hour or so and then sleep all day. But in the real world you stay up all night and then have to be at work by 8 a.m., stay there and be awake all day long. You might not believe me now, but wait until you pull a real all-nighter. You’ll be begging to write that 8-page term paper all over again.

Working out — for free

This might be the one thing I took the granted the most in college. There was a huge state of the art workout facility that sure I paid for with tuition money. I hate working out; however, now I wish I would have more in the cool Student Recreation and Wellness Center provided. I should have at least got my yoga on by going to the cheapest yoga class available. In the real world, gym memberships cost money and it’s no longer cute to be a broke college student.

 Eating whatever, whenever, wherever

When you are in college you can eat the most crazy, weird drunk food — even when you are not hung over — and you are applauded for it. Now, after college, when you eat like this you have to get ready for the judgment eyes and the heavy guilt associated with it. Also, be very aware the freshman 15 is real, but so is the after college 30. I might have made this up but it’s real — you will gain weight if you eat like you did in college afterward because you are not walking around campus and you’re getting old. It happens quickly, so you have been warned.

Pretty much what I have discovered so far is that the real world consist of no sleep, lots of work (but actually getting paid), gaining weight and spending your hard earned money on expensive gyms to work off the fat. Getting old is a trap.  Happy graduation, seniors! 

Contact Audrey Young at [email protected].