Three Things I Wish I Did Before College

I am now officially two weeks into my junior year of college. I am also 151 days away from being twenty one which does nothing more than make me feel extremely old. These last two years have literally flashed before my eyes. I remember buying my bedding for my dorm room and trying to figure out how I am going to bring all my heels to college since you know I thought I would wear them out all the time. Well now, I rarely have time to make my bed and  I really only wear two pairs of shoes out and about: my "frat" flip flops and my "frat" boots. It's weird to think that I am more than half way done with what people like to say are the best four years of your life. Don't get me wrong college has been great but there is definitely some things I wish I did and knew before I came here.

1. Taken a Gap Year: Senior year of high school, I wanted nothing more than to pack my stuff up and go to college. I wish I slowed down and thought about taking some time off to do other stuff. I also wish gap years were a common thing in the states but unfortunately they are only  common  in Europe.  I've traveled a lot in my twenty years but I haven't done a lot of traveling that I have planned for myself. I've been to Europe quite a few times but I wish I went backpacking through New Zealand or on a crazy trip through like 15 European countries. Traveling definitely helps shape you and I also think it would've given me more time to figure out what I want to do with life. After college I am going to nearly 50 thousand dollars in debt just like most college graduates. That definitely will not be the time to pack up my stuff and go explore.

2. Read More:  "oh, I've finished all my readings for the week." said no college student ever. There aren't enough hours in the day or week for you to get all your reading done. This is just a simple fact of college. You will be assigned articles on articles and you will feel like your brain is going to explode. In the last two years, summer time has been the only time I've read books I actually want to read. It is just impossible to pick up a book for enjoyable reading when you have so much assigned reading. I've always thought of myself as a reader but I still wish I read more books in high school. I wish I found a genre I really loved or an author whose writing moved me.

3.  Checked More Things Off My Bucket List: Everyone has those things they really want to do. It could be something as simple as seeing your favorite band in concert (done that) or as crazy as throwing a pin at a map and driving where ever it lands (still on the list). I wish I took the time to accomplish more things on it because coming to college. I feel like I haven't had a lot of free time in college. I've spend my falls, winters and springs studying and my summers working so I'd have money for stuff during school. Yes, I have done things! Don't get me wrong I've haven't been studying on my butt this whole time but I wish I went on a crazy road trip the summer before college or went to city and pretended to be a tourist. I know I will definitely check everything off my bucket list in due time but I wish I've given myself a bit more of a head start.

There are definitely more things I wish I did before college but I feel like these are the main three. College has been great and as terrifying it is to think that I graduate in two year and have to enter the real world, I can't wait to see where the next two years take me. At the very least, I plan on checking more things off my bucket list, traveling and reading.