Is College Really the “Best” Four Years?

Perhaps you’ve heard a parent tell their college-bound student that college years are the best four years of their life. We’re not so sure. Actually, we believe that each and every year ought to be and has the potential to be the one’s very best year.

It might even be better if parents don’t create the expectation that our child’s college time should be their “best years,” since for many they simply are not. We surely don’t want our kids to feel that if this four-year segment is the “best years,” they will have nothing to look forward to. In fact, for many kids, college is lonely, overwhelming, and not “fun” whatsoever.

We think it best to set realistic expectations for our kids. It’s okay to tell them that college living can be fun, life-changing, but it may also be rough. Their bed might not be as comfortable as the one at home and the food will surely leave a lot to be desired. They may or may not be invited to all of the hyped-up parties, and by the way, they might not be as fun as social media portrays them. It’s normal to miss home and sometimes it’s helpful to get a good night’s sleep to improve one’s mental health.

Here is the bottom line: college years have the potential to be “good years” of one’s life but they are in fact, not likely to be your child’s “best years.” Make sure they know that their best years are still the ones to come.