After last week's Pondering 10 (Things I Miss About College), I felt it was only right to post the other side of the coin this week. After all, as I stated in that post, I truly don't miss college. I'm not one of those who are overly hung up on their college days and wish to relive it. I experience. I enjoyed. I grew up. I moved on. Ultimately, the reasons listed in this Pondering 10 list, are the sole reasons I do not miss college at all. Enjoy!
10. Starving after 8 O' clock - Oh, to rely on that meal plan to nourish your body! However, when you're broke (more on that later) and you go to a college/university that is in a small town, the options for food drastically dwindle beginning after 8pm. Which of course means it will be time to fire up the microwave with Ramen noodles.
9. Writing Papers - I love writing. But writing silly papers with "page length" requirements and restrictions is rather ridiculous. I never understand the thought process of telling someone to share their thoughts and observations on a topic, but "don't be too brief, and don't be too long". "Exactly 10 pages." Ridiculous.
8. Missing Home - I didn't have that breakdown moment in college like some did, but there were times I missed home. I missed New York City. And often times, living on a college campus (especially where I went to undergrad) was not even close in comparison to the bright lights and concrete jungle here.
7. Stupid Drama - Dealing with roommates and friend's girlfriends...and ex-girlfriends, hearing about who is dating who's ex, and what person will be at what party, and who did what with whom....AHHH! Happy to not have to deal with it anymore.
6. Sharing a Room - Sharing a 12x12 room with ALL furniture for two (maybe three) people in the room is not something I would want to go back to today. It was fun for while it lasted, but there is no chance I'd ever want to live like that again. How about a suite, you say? Same thing, except it's a vicinity with even more people. Yeah, no thanks.
5. Pointless Courses - Umm, up until this very day, I have no idea how Art history and Art history II has helped me as a person, as a member of society, or as a professional. Useless. Pointless. Enough said.
4. Sharing a Bathroom - If sharing a room was bad, how about sharing a bathroom with just about everyone on your floor? Having to carry your shower caddy to the bathroom, wear flip flops, and make sure you never touched the walls of your stall or the floor...yup, I still can't believe I showered for four years like that.
3. Weather - Well this depends on where you went to college. For me, it was in Syracuse, NY. Lots of snow. Lots, and lots, and lots, and lots of snow. And when that was over, some more snow fell. Walking across campus for an 8am class with a hoodie as your winter jacket in freezing temperatures is something I absolutely do not miss.
2. Expensive Books - The textbook industry is an absolute crime. Just purely wrong. Nothing like buying a textbook for a class that is pretty much two-weeks of summer pay, just to crack it open once for a measly question assignment, and then get a return on the book buyback at a measly fraction of what you paid for it.
1. Being Broke - Do I miss college? Whenever I hear that question I really hear, "do you wish you were broke again?" I probably will never understand some folks' fascination with college. No food. No space. No money. No security. No thank you. I like the financial freedom I have. I enjoy eating real food over Ramen noodles. I enjoy cooking on a stove over microwave meals. And I enjoy drinking imported beers and wines instead of Keystone (Ugh...typing that just made me nauseous). Once again, no thank you. I've now experienced more. Why go backwards?