Students blog

When Charles Dickens said, “It was the best and worst of times,” he could easily have been talking about college. And he would be one hundred percent correct. College is an experience like no other.

It’s where you start to figure out who you are when no one is watching over your shoulder. Some values shift; others become more firmly rooted. You get a taste of real adult problems.

Some days, you feel whimsical, like you’re skipping down the sidewalk and singing with the birds. Other days, everything seems to be closing in and falling apart. You want to shut the world off until your laundry timer rings and reality pulls you back in.

Going into college, I thought I knew what to expect. Classes, exams, parties, weird roommates, communal bathrooms. The basics.

What I didn’t know was how much of college is made up of small moments that quietly shape you. As an eighteen-year-old, I packed two suitcases and moved 1,700 miles away from home in August 2023. I crossed three time zones for a fresh start.

It felt like stepping into a completely new chapter. It was equal parts terrifying and exciting, and I had no real idea of how the story would unfold.

The Best of Times

My biggest fear was not finding my people. I’ve always been introverted, and the idea of constantly meeting new people was overwhelming. But somehow, without trying too hard, I found them.

They were the ones sitting next to me in class, bonding over confusing lectures and shared stress. They turned post-exam boba runs into a tradition. We convinced ourselves we deserved a sweet reward after surviving another test.

Those friendships didn’t happen all at once. They grew slowly and naturally. One day, I realized these were the people I couldn’t imagine college without.

There are also the traditions you never expect to love. You wait in a long line every weekend to get into the football stadium. You’re fully aware that your team is probably going to lose.

You stand there anyway, cheering just as loudly. You convince yourself that maybe this time will be different. Even when it isn’t, you leave laughing, knowing you’ll be back next week.

And then there’s fall on campus. It brings cool air, changing leaves, and the feeling that everything is exactly where it should be.

And the Worst of Times

College also teaches you that nothing is ever just one thing. Laundry is not just laundry. It’s finding a three-hour window when you’ll actually be in your dorm.

You check the basement for open machines and run back upstairs to grab your clothes and detergent. Then, you race back down before someone else takes your spot.

You set a timer, come back right on time, and somehow there are still fifteen minutes left. The dryer lies every single time.

Living on your own for the first time is also harder than anyone prepares you for. You’re suddenly responsible for managing your time, your money, your sleep, and your emotions—often all at once.

You learn how to navigate life through trial and error. You miss deadlines, overcommit yourself, and realize that no one is going to remind you to take care of yourself except you.

It can feel overwhelming. It’s like you’re constantly figuring things out as you go, hoping you’re doing it right.

Yes, the dining hall food is worse than you imagine. It’s impossible to find space in the library during finals week. Some days feel overwhelming.

But in between all of that, you grow. College is messy, exhausting, and unforgettable. One day, you’ll look back and realize the hard parts were shaping you into who you’re meant to become.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

My mother has a photo album on her phone titled “Reading while...” The album contains photos of me reading a book during different activities: when I was sitting in the driver’s seat waiting for my mom to lock the door, when I was putting on my shoes, while I was brushing my teeth. My favorite is when a photo of me lying face down in a book I was reading because I fell asleep. These photos offer an insight into who I was as a child, a vivacious reader who refused to put a book down, no matter the situation.

However, that all changed as I got into high school. As I started to take harder classes, my study time started to eat into my leisure reading time. And while at every icebreaker fun fact conversation, I would always say I loved to read, I slowly realized that I had not picked up a book in months. And while I tried to remedy this, I constantly found myself unable to find the time. And so, as I finished out high school, something that used to define me as a child disappeared from my life.

This continued into my college career as well. And it was not just the reading time that took a hit, it was any hobby or activity. I became consumed with studying for my classes and doing well. And while I told myself that throwing myself into studying was worth it and I was doing better, I slowly realized I was not. I became extremely sleep deprived, anxious, and a whole lot of other things that did not help me succeed in my classes.

To calm my nerves during an especially anxious episode, I started to read an orientation magazine I had gotten in the beginning of the year. After reading just a few pages, I felt much better. It felt so good to turn those pages and read the story out in front of me. That’s when I realized how important it is to find that work-life balance. Constantly working was not helping me at all.

That’s when I decided to go to the library and check out a book I had wanted to read in high school. That weekend, I read the entire book and felt a part of my brain re-emerge. I felt at peace and truly happy for the first time in months. The next weekend, I checked out another book, but instead of finishing it all that weekend, I paced it throughout the week, reading a few chapters at a time.

I saw a change in my studies. I started to stress less and started to sleep on time more often. It also was not just reading that made the difference. I started to pursue other hobbies and activities as well. I have picnics with my friends. I got good at pool and foosball. Now every Friday, my friends and I watch a movie. Every Sunday morning, we get brunch. I’ve learned how to crochet. Activities like these help me find peace it what is otherwise an extremely stressful major. Finding the balance is important.

I try to read a book every two weeks or so. And every now and then, I send my mom a new photo for her to add to her photo “Reading while…” album.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started!