Were your college experiences really that awesome?

College was one of the best experiences of my life. There were a lot of parties (attended and hosted), some of which I kid you not were on par with the types you see in movies (wall to wall people, bands/djs, alcohol, etc, etc).

I personally never drank a drop of alcohol, or did a single drug. I did indulge in the occasional cigarette, clove, or actual cigar… The lack of alcohol and drugs did not effect my enjoyment at all.

I also would be lying if I said I didn’t have my fair share of sexual encounters. Some were relationships, some weren’t, some were meant to be but never became… Some were crappy, some were amazing…. Some were incredibly awkward, and some developed into major relationships or friendships.

Obviously being away from parents was a huge reason why a lot of that was possible for most students. But it wasn’t all parties and stuff either. I also did a ton of studying. Lots of late nights trying to figure out concepts and formulas and solve practice problems. On one of my last finals weeks I had 4 finals in a 48 hour period. I literally got 2 hours of sleep in a 3 day period. I was going entirely off energy drinks, a few aderal I got from a friend, and clove cigarettes. I slept for almost 24 straight hours when I finally got to sleep.

You can still have these experiences without actually being in college. I had lots of friends who simply visited on the weekends, or went to local trade schools, or even just worked locally. The only solid reason college is known for the experiences is because they tend to gather large numbers of people in that age group in one area.

If you wait a few years I think it could impact your enjoyment of that experience. My maturity shot up towards the end of my college career. Going to parties didn’t really sound that fun anymore, and most the people my age shifted to bars and such. By the time I hit 22/23 if I had just started college the party life would have been lost on me.

College is the last time on most people’s lives that they can be relatively care free. For me, it was the the freedom and being surrounded by intellectually stimulating people combined with the parties, etc…

Of course we look at it with rosy-eyed sunglasses, but thats how we look at many things.

My college experiences were just about like everyone else’s. Yes, there was lots of fun and lots of alcohol. The key was not to cross the line.

One of my best memories was a little restaurant, around the corner, that served the best chess pie in the world. They cut the pie just twice and the portion you received was truly big. They kept the pie warm and served the best real vanilla bean ice cream on top.

Sure, college had all the benefits you would expect, but that little restaurant with the hot chess pie, was a memory that will never be forgotten.

I loved college. Learned a ton, had a ball and met some great people.

Strangely, I didn’t attend a single party, get drunk or sleep with anyone other than my girlfriend. Apparently I missed a memo somewhere. :^)

Yes, it was the best time of my life socially. The sex was great, but I don’t drink or smoke and don’t consider doing so “awesome”- the parties were still awesome, though, :>) – but it was because I was with great friends. I don’t think the experiences would have happened outside of college because I would not have met the same group of people in the same spot.

So far it has been, but not because I’ve been fucking every coed I see and attending parties where the Natty Ice flows like water. It’s been my best experience moreso because of the friends I’ve made and the adventures we’ve had together. So far we’ve been on meandering roadtrips, been chased by a serial killer, been threatened by security guards, discovered a hidden mountaintop paradise that we named “Eden,” and formed a band and had rap battles as well, and that’s just scratching the surface.

Sure, I’ve had my share of alcohol binges, and I have blossomed sexually, so to speak, while I’ve been in school, but I tend to think the wild, atypical adventures I’ve had with my good friends are more valuable and memorable than any chemically-induced experience I’ve had.

So far, my college experience has been grand.

I’ve made tons of crazy new friends and we’re quite close. We have shared tons of wild experiences and each one is very memorable. I’ll admit, I’ve done some drugs, drank until I blacked out, and had sex with a few people I haven’t known for that long, but it has been great.

There is a lot of fun to be had without any of those elements, though. Study groups, randomly hanging out, and meeting new people are things I do on a daily basis. My dorm was also labeled “the room for the sexiled” (which is when your roommate kicks you out because they’re getting it on) and people frequently congregate in my room, we watch movies on Netflix, and have all sorts of fun. Study groups are also pretty great because everyone is stressed and going insane, but we all bond together and triumph through finals.

Sometimes I never want to leave college. Hahahaha.

For the first time in my life, I was around people who were like me. I wasn’t lonely. That was so huge, I can’t begin to tell you. I made friends in college like I had never made before.

In fact, I didn’t get laid until my junior year, so I wouldn’t say college, at least for me, was a great place for sex and partying. There were a few parties, and since I had a lot of friends at them, they were pretty good for me. Also, getting drunk made things feel a bit better.

I hated graduating from college because my girlfriend dumped me, I didn’t have a job, and I had to live with my parents, who did not welcome me. However, as soon as I moved out, things started looking better sex-wise. I got laid the most in the first four or five years after college. That was fun.

College, however, was more meaningful. The friends were close. I’ll never have friends like that again. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, none of them are very close to me any more. But it’s been a pretty good ride while it lasted.

Like @wundayatta says, it wasn’t about sex and partying. College was a great experience (while I was there; I dropped out) because of the closeness of the friendships and the things we had in common. We had a lot of great bonding experiences, like staying up all night to work on big art projects, sci-fi movie marathons, playing Diplomacy at 3 AM, doing photography down by the river, sitting on the roof and just talking, and going to underground art shows and concerts. (And by underground, I mean in someone’s garage.) We were a pretty nerdy and nocturnal bunch. My high school friends were actually more about sex and partying, because high school was such a crappy, stifling experience and we needed an outlet. College was so freeing.

Yes and no.
Yes: Having people readily available to socialize with is great. I met my best friends at college, and was friendly with dozens of others who I bumped into all the time. I loved my extracurriculars, especially my a cappella group, and having performances and events to attend almost every day.

No:
I’m one year out of college and so far this past year has been way better than college. Mainly I’m so relieved to not be studying. My classes were interesting, but I was always stressed about papers and exams and general class stuff. It’s so nice to go to bed at night when I’m tired, not when my paper is done! By the end of college I was really annoyed by the 18–20-year-olds; college students started to feel too young. The social aspect can be stressful (cliquiness still happens), and you don’t get laid whenever you want to (or attend parties).

In conclusion, it can be fun, but it’s not necessarily going to be the best time of your life. And, like @wundayatta, I got laid way more in the past year since graduating than I ever did while in college.

Definitely NOT the best sex I ever had. But it was the best of times none the less. I mean come on, 5 (more or less, LOL) years of nothing but lounging around, hanging with your best buds…

I scheduled ALL my classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I literally had 5 days a week for 5 years to just exist.

How could it get better than that? I mean, there is still alot to live for, and I love my life every day. And I experience great things on a daily basis. But can you really compare having your time utterly and completely to yourself vs. giving a minimum of 40 hours per week to the man? I think not.

Also, at that age I could shove all the nachos, chinese food, pizza, chicken wings, vodka, and beer into my body and not gain a pound… now I have to watch what I eat! And it’s only been three freakin’ years… oh yeah, it’s because now I spend an additional 40 a week sitting at a desk! GRRRRR.