Lauren Yanow
It finally hit me.
I am not going back to college.
Everyone told me this would happen, but I figured I had adjusted well to post-grad life and might not even notice.
This summer felt like every other summer I’ve had for the last four years. I got an internship and was working on building my resume, instead of building my tan.
Nothing seemed different or out of the ordinary.
Of course, my diploma arrived and the photos of me in a cap and gown were on Facebook. But it just didn’t seem real. My internship became a full-time job and I now have entered the lifestyle of working 40 hours a week.
Now, I see pictures of younger friends attending tailgates and hanging out at my favorite college town bar.
I’m not there.
Instead, I am living the post-grad life back in Chicago.
Here is what I miss the most:
1. Sleeping
I’m not embarrassed to admit that I always chose classes based on what time of day they were offered. There is a reason I never had a class before 10 am. Oh, and naps. I miss them, too.
2. Walking
Walking around my college campus to get to class was the most aerobic activity I did over the last four years. Now, I just take the elevator downstairs to get lunch.
3. Weekends starting on Thursday
Enough said.
4. Free stuff
My closet is stuffed with free T-shirts I collected in college. Now that I’m a professional, I need to make room for some blouses.
5. Cheap drinks
Living in Chicago is not cheap. And neither are the beers. In my college town, you could get a full price beer for $3, but now I am lucky to find one under $6. Oh, well. Guess that’s what my paycheck is for.
What do you miss about your college?
(Image via)
millennialmafia 
Going to the beach. I went to school 5 min from the beach and when it was warm I would just go there. Now, I live in DC… no beach in sight. I feel you on the free point and the cheap beer point. Things aren’t cheap in the city.
I miss the spontaneity of college. It was normal to invite friends over on a week night, decide on dinner 5 minutes beforehand, randomly watch a movie, do a quick errand and stop by another friend’s place, all without planning any of it. Now, you have to give people lots of notice so they can work around their work schedule, sidestep rush hour traffic and be home at a reasonable time to wake up for work the next day. I value weekends much more now that I’m no longer in school.
Thanks for the comments Elisheba and Kayla!
Kayla I completely agree about the spontaneity of college. Not only can I not plan things on a minutes notice, now I’m just to tired to even try!
In college everyday resembled a weekend in some way. Now Saturdays and Sundays seem to pass so quickly!
-Lauren