It’s no question that college students are without a doubt their own species. In other words, we’re weird AF. Don’t believe? Tell me you haven’t done any of these 5 things and then we’ll talk:
- Skip looking both ways when crossing the street
The stress of college life can seep into even the strongest of minds. Running on a little bit of sleep and a lot of caffeine has a way of shuffling rational decision making, onto the back burner. Many campuses are adorned with crosswalks galore, and you have to admit whether it be during a particularly intense finals week, or a dreary Monday morning when you were running late and ended up wearing your shirt backwards, you’ve thought about getting hit by a car or cyclist in the last ditch effort to get free tuition or get out of a test. Most college kids aren’t serious, but busy schedules and anxiety ridden minds don’t mind taking their chances when it comes to darting out into the street.
- Accept freebies from any source
Whether you’re strapped for cash, or just too lazy to cook – free food is always the holy grail. To a college student, food is what makes the world go ‘round. Taking a chance on a sketchy egg roll would be viewed as a calculated risk by anyone more than a semester into a higher education. The appeal of free giveaways doesn’t end with food, college kids in the wild will accept clothes, school supplies, furniture, etc. – really anything that helps to keep a roof over their heads. Once you hit 18 there is a primal instinct that yearns for freebies. It’s science.
- Ignore bank account balance
Have you ever been out to dinner or the movies, and the cashier tells you the balance and you have no idea if your card will clear? There is that second of hesitation before you take the leap. Did that new sweater, a tank of gas, or impulse eighty count pack of Lindor truffles max out my account? But once you commit to taking the chance, there is a tiny rush you imagine someone pulling off a bank heist might experience. When it comes to bank accounts many college kids feel that ignorance is bliss, at least until your luck runs out.
- Meet up with Tinder dates
It’s 2017. We fly drones, talk to Alexa, and start our cars with a button. . . and swipe left and right on potential mates. Older and more established adults tend to look down Tinder. But to college kids, it’s a fun game of romantic Russian Roulette. In a world of uncertainty and taking chances, Tinder is almost a natural progression. There is a strong chance most young couples you know met on the app. Meeting a Tinder date has become the new norm.
- Rely on Uber
Uber is one of the newest crazes and it has taken off within the college-age demographic. While Uber is a huge development, it can also be a little on the sketchy side. You’re basically charting a path with a perfect stranger behind the wheel. Not only are you sharing a tiny space with someone you’ve never met before, you might be forced to engage in the horror of all horrors – small talk. A millennial’s most dreaded form of communication. Uber is great on paper, but the hectic schedule and unexpected variables that plague the lives of college students make this mode of transportation a gamble at times. Who knows? You might meet your soulmate on a ride share trip to the grocery store or you could be stuck in a car with grown man who goes barefoot and tries to braid your hair. Uber is exactly the kind of risk college students willingly take. Whether you need a designated driver or just a shuttle to the airport, Uber is the perfect fix to replace those flakey friends. You might even end up with a few new ones if you take a long enough drive.
College is a time when young adults are trying to balance basic survival while also planning their entire future. This crazy mashup of priorities pushes students to do some pretty crazy things. Adulting is hard and sometimes you just have to take chances. To any sane person, some of the actions college students take to get by seem risky and questionable. But to be completely honest, college is risky and questionable in general. There are millions of college students around the world riding the struggle bus to I-Really-Hope-This-Works-Out City. The next time you j-walk on the way to class while scarfing down a leftover burrito, just know you’re not alone.
Featured image via Shubham Sharan on Unsplash
