At every stage of life, certain acts are deemed permissible that would not be at any other time. College is probably the most noticeable phase of life during which we can engage in activities and behave in ways that will be taboo thereafter. The dogma that "college is the best four years of your life" is a bit depressing, especially as I plan to embark into the "real world," which I doubt resembles anything MTV makes it out to be. But, at the same time, the mantra is absolutely valid.
For one, college students follow eating habits that are simply not appropriate for adults. For example, the time frame between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. is the most common time to grocery shop. Good thing Harris Teeter accommodates our schedules so nicely by staying open 24/7; in the outside world, midnight grocery runs will not be a luxury quite as available. Similarly, we can survive for inordinate amounts of time on vending machine food. As evidence, one Sunday last year before a project was due, my groupmates and I subsisted on cheese crackers, Doritos, Mountain Dew and peanut M&Ms for an entire 20 hours. Additionally, our drink choices will change after college. At parties now, it's common to mix yourself a Solo cup full of Popov vodka and the remainder of a two-liter bottle of Fanta, but have you ever seen that combination on a cocktail menu? Regrettably, dry gin martinis will someday replace our impromptu concoctions.
There also are specific outfits that droves of college students wear that would likely be considered preposterous by any other age group. Sure, we're not the only people donning North Face fleeces but we are the only ones to wear them on top of cocktail dresses and suits on the way to parents' formals. Next year, I'll probably need to invest in an actual coat, but for now, my ubiquitous Barbour jacket is completely suitable with anything and everything in my closet. On a similar note, college students remarkably wear flip-flops year-round, regardless of the temperature. After college, Rainbows in the snow may elicit some ridicule.
There are also collegiate social activities that are unimaginable, and possibly even unknown, to those people in the outside world. One of these is pregaming. Contrary to the beliefs of many adults, this activity does not have anything whatsoever to do with sports. Rather, it entails drinking before a party or other social event because really, who wants to show up sober? Maybe when I get married, I'll have a pregame rather than a rehearsal dinner; I don't want to give up such an entrenched tradition.
Moreover, there are ways we interact with each other that adults would likely find strange. One is the omnipresent hug. In college, it is absolutely acceptable, even expected, to hug someone you met two days ago; in this respect, college is a little bit like France. But unless you expect to be a jetsetter after college, you'll remain in America - the land of formality - where the handshake reigns supreme. In the adult world, hugs are reserved strictly for family. Additionally, at our age, we can call people whenever we like. 3 a.m. is a perfectly normal time to receive text messages. But when I am at home, my parents complain endlessly if the phone rings post-dinner. Apparently, once the sun sets, communication is rude and inconsiderate.
Probably the biggest chasm between college and the real world is that in the real world, we are actually expected to know what is going on in the world. In contrast, as college students, we are allowed to be oblivious. For us, the Facebook News Feed - not The Washington Post - is a veritable source of current events. With devotion to our studies, we can hardly keep up with the Kardashians, no less remain abreast of Obama's health care reform. Yet this is 100 percent okay.
A wise man once said, "I wanna go to college for the rest of my life / Sip Banker's Club and Drink Miller Lite." Asher Roth is right on the money. In college, we are allowed to act in ways unthinkable during any other phase of our lives. Next year, with work on Friday mornings, "Thirsty Thursday" will be abolished from my lexicon. I'll replace religious reading of The Cav Daily with that of The New York Times and I'll substitute handshakes for hugs. On the bright side though, Sundays won't be full of problem sets and mandatory meetings - and might actually be a day of rest.
Abby's column runs biweekly Wednesdays. She can be reached at a.coster@cavalierdaily.com.
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