Edwin Thompson says:
Sun, 25th Nov 20073:43 pm 

Lauren,

Sooooooooooooo true! I never really had to work (i"m 48)…but thanks to Hurricane Katrina-must do- so I've gone back to school–LOVE IT!!! Even at 48!

Your right, this is supposed to prepare you for the real world–no such thing–I'm a year away from graduating, and I too am already thinking a Master's is in order to avoid "the real world."

My only solace (which really bothers young people I hang out with)…at least my "career life" will only be half of what someone in 20's will have to put in!!!! HEEEEE-HEEEE–old and in school–reality? What reality! Ps. I'm studying to become a teacher! Summers off! Oh Yeah!

Ren says:
Sun, 7th Sep 20087:11 pm 

Lauren,

You hit the nail on the head. I am 9 months out of school. I spent 4.5 years learning to be an engineer, playing football, running track, and other activities. Drinking when I could, skipping class when I dare, and just enjoying being broke as a joke and living life. Now I will be up at 4am tomorrow for work….I can't stay up tonight until even 10pm (which I already beat because I can't sleep from my saturday binge drinking until 4 am). Life doesn't suck after college, it feels like it has no value. You friends recede into their own working world, people get married, have kids and stick to themselves…..no one ever stops to think that money isn't everything. It sure was better before we had any!

Tony says:
Wed, 10th Sep 20085:36 pm 

After college I stopped caring about a lot of things. Started to think if engineering was the right career path for me. Going to an engineering school with mostly guys I thought life couldn't get any worse. Boy was I wrong. Now im doing the 9-5 thing making good money however I am not as happy and dont have the laughs I had in college. Life seems pointless and right now religion is the only thing that seems to make sense although I have serious doubts about that at times as well.

BOB says:
Mon, 13th Oct 20088:42 am 

Hey everybody,

Usually I wouldnt comment but I think postings like this can be so damaging and hurtful to people who are struggling in college. A disclaimer here: this comment is not meant for the type of person that "lauren" is – The Hills watching, uggs wearing, closeminded cracker ass cracker crowd. Sorry to be so harsh but this group has been running things for a long time. I remember my first day at college, all the "laurens" had segregated themselves from the rest of us and were already best friends forever (BFF-thats their code). The "hot boys" lauren refers to? Well that certainly didnt include myself. The reason I bring that up is that is very indicative of the type of atmosphere that dominates a lot of campuses, especially private schools-if you look different or act different, most of these "laurens" will look right through you. This messed with my head for a long time before I realized that brown is beautiful, but thats another story. The point here is that the reason that lauren's life sucks after college is that she HAS NO IMAGINATION! Her comment about having learned about life from the Real World may have been a joke, but I sense no irony there. She really watched the Real World and identified with those characters, so sad. In college I was so hurt by the quickness with which I was written off by so many people, but that is what is so delicious about reading lauren's post. Her way of thinking, her way of living, has brought her nothing after school. Heres the real difference between college and the "real world", success in the real world is predicated on imagination and creativity, while college is more of a virtual reality experience, where you are more often that not forced to take what is given to you. To those who are struggling in college, take heed. Learn to love what makes you different, because it will certainly help you once school is over. And if you envy or feel embarrased by crowds of "laurens" passing by, remember that when you get outside of school you will have the oppurtunity to find whole communities that you can relate to. And as for you lauren-clones, your fate is excrutiating bordom, unending painful mediocrity. Just please do us a favor and dont post dumbass things like this that assume that our after college lives will be as empty as yours.

MH says:
Tue, 28th Oct 200810:08 am 

Dude – I googled "graduating from college sucks" and this was the first thing I found. I'm 3 years out of law school and I find myself dreaming about the old days on a very regular basis (note this post is during the work day). I have to say, I haven’t found anything to be really excited about in the real world – in fact, I'm bored out of my mind.

Then:

the week ends on Thursday

Now:

does the week ever end?

Then:

Yaega bombs!!!!

Now:

I just want to get bombed

Then:

Fine women

Now:

find woman – difficult task in shithole town I live in

Then:

Friends

Now:

Clients

Then:

Hated going home for the holidays and missing the party

Now:

I love going home for the holidays because the party ended.

So, Lauren, I feel you on this. I guess it's just time to get married, have kids, and get fat – seems to be what everybody else is doing.

Does it matter? says:
Wed, 12th Nov 20089:02 am 

I have to agree with this "BOB" person. Right now I'm in my first year of college. And hey, I'll admit that I do occasionally have fun every once in a while BUT in no way am I partying for 4 even 3 nights a week. That's ridiculous. My main point of going to college is to get a nice paying job and learn. Not to "live it up" every night! I get so aggrivated when people say "if you're not partying, you're not living!" I came to college to learn. I EXPECT a 8-5 job when I graduate and I'm not complaining. It sickens me when I hear girls in my class complaining that it's too early when it's 10 in the morning. Are you kidding me? Some people are in for a rude awakening. I'm not hear to brag or anything but since I actually concentrated on my schoolwork this semester my lowest grade is a B. My roommate had to drop out of school because all he did was party and failed 4/5 of his classes. Nice waste of your parents money.. Have fun at the gas-station for the next 15 years of your life! I'm sorry I've been a complete jerk in this but it really sickens me of what people actually think life after college will be like. You're not going to get rich right away. You're not going to party every night. You're not going to have money handed to you by your parents. And you're NOT going to have your clique of friends to go make fun of people for the hell of it. This is life. Deal.

jebus says:
Tue, 18th Nov 20084:53 pm 

Some people hate the fact that they have to study so they think of quitting…

at least you got the opportunity to go to college… you could've had a minimum wage as soon as you got out of high school and lived on your own..

insomnia says:
Sun, 21st Dec 200810:40 pm 

i've been the dude who didn't go to college and had some minimum wage fun and to top off the good times, i got to hang out in the 12+ hour factory that thanked me with a nice 6 month series of unemployment checks only to find myself doing roofing which all shows you how completely miserable life can be. I just finished my first semester of college and i'm pretty sure i'll still be miserable once i obtain a degree of some sort. I think some people are just built to be unhappy in the working world. I think that I should become an assassin and maybe you all should too. I don't think pointing a gun in a direction and pulling the trigger would be that bad of a job. Just like the push button job that George Jetson had except you'd need to be sneaky about it. Anyways, don't worry about your lowsy jobs and your misplaced angers toward "lauren bots." We'll all be dead soon enough, HURRAH!!! Wow, that sounds a little goth. Seriously though, fuck being unhappy, I won't have that shit anymore. All you people who have degrees, if you hate your job…quit, go find a job you like or a job that you're left unwatched and fuck off as much as possible. Who cares how much you are paid, buying stuff is lame, just like toys as a kid, they'll only entertain you for a little bit before you get bored and want a different one. A very empty approach to life.

Ruslan says:
Thu, 23rd Apr 20093:43 pm 

You're not suppose to "Drink 6 nights and 2-3 days a week." when you go to college. You probably got some shitty degree because ,apparently, you didn't need to do a lot of studying and spent most of your time screwing around.

And who the hell bases their perceptions of "the real world thing" on TV shows? You've got drinking problems, so you shouldn't talk at all, low life alcoholic.

But in the end, be happy that a dipshit like you can survive at all, because what you call "the real world" is made for morons like you, be thankful that you live in America, you don't realize, but you've got it easy, and it could've been better, but you fail at life. Blah, you disgust me with your bitching, I'm leaving.

thedude says:
Sat, 13th Jun 20099:14 am 

What a bunch of nonsense Lauren; especially for us struggling in college. Probably got some bullsh** degree in business or liberal arts, otherwise I don't see how you could party 2-3 times a week.

I dislike college, I am in engineering school at a Big Ten school and I rarely party and still get poor grades. College is difficult, it is lonely at times, your peers often form shallow relationships with each other and a culture of excessive drinking as the "fun" thing to do pervades campus.

You're treated like a number by professors in huge classes and have to deal with an educational system that does not care if you pass or fail. You're on your own and it is lonely.

Even college summers suck… no it's not a time to hang out with girls. You're competing with foreigners and Americans with better grades and skills than you, so you better get an internship or take classes to get the heck out of college. Summers are boring and long….

I am looking forward to an 8-5 lifestyle because at least the stress of getting that Bachelor's Degree will be over and I'll actually have a real job, a real future and the foundation to meet new women and new friends from a settled position in life rather than the stressful, often bizarre environment that is college.

Lauren, your article exemplifies the stereotypical American college girl which watches MTV, goes to bars to meet men for flings, and has had an overall easy and spiritually shallow life. I feel bad saying this, but this is one reason I stay away from American college girls, their heads are filled with sand.

curtis says:
Thu, 10th Sep 20098:22 am 

everyone who is still IN college has no room to comment on this. unfortunately, life after college DOES suck. you spend 4 years studying something you're passionate about (if you're not – why are you even there?), and then you graduate into world that doesn't really care. expect to work in a job you don't love for a number of years. expect to make less money than you had hoped for. expect to toss your post-adolescent college ideals out the window. expect all that you thought would be positive about leaving college to kick you in the ass.

Joanna says:
Tue, 29th Sep 20095:21 am 

As a recent grad, I can definitely relate to what Lauren's saying. It's hard, because I didn't really party in college, I did love to socialize though. But I love talking to all my friends and wish we weren't going off in all directions and still poor. Now I have loans and taxes to deal with, and am paying for grad school on my own and working a part time job that barely pays, when I have a college degree. But think about it-this has been happening for a while: people graduate each year w/a degree, and there are not enough people retiring for them to fill jobs. Not that I am saying my parents' generation should, either, since they are considerably older than me, at 60 years old. But I do wish they had saved their money and planned better, because as their only child I do worry about them a lot. They do not hide monetary struggles from me anymore. And when I once described my envisioned life in a few more years, my father got upset and suggested I not move out, since "your grandmother passed away at 64, and you know, we're in our 60s." I'm glad they waited to start their family and did what they wanted to do, but it is upsetting to hear this. And so this is why life after graduation is difficult.

qwerty says:
Fri, 9th Oct 20098:40 am 

Wow simply wow. first off for that comment about "people still in college have no room to comment", could you be anymore ignorant? I am now a senior in college and I've had a FULL-time job for the past three years. Yep that's right. School full time AND a full time job. The only reason i went back to school was so i could raise my pay. My life is a constant juggle between school and work and then i have to hear about these bitches complaining about it? Get over yourself. 95% of society thinks they're part of the 5% that's different. Don't be so ignorant.

joe says:
Sun, 11th Oct 200910:52 am 

Cry some more you stupid whore. That's life.

joe says:
Sun, 11th Oct 200910:53 am 

And for clarification, that was directed at lauren. Not the guy above me.

juj says:
Sun, 11th Oct 20098:41 pm 

im a senior in highschool and am expected to do the college thing, but not really excited. i googled whats so great about college and this came up (suppose to be writing personal statement).

i think we all need to just go live where we want and do what we want. and sure im young and naive but doing what you want is surely the most important thing you can do. so to all those who complain about their current life and to all those who are chewin out who they see as the little bitches (lauren etc.) take time for yourself instead of others and do what you want. like *insomnia* said above me "we'll all be dead soon enough". its so true, so spend your time on yourself.

please, i hope this is right,

maybe just something we all go through as we grow up

and arent we always growing up…

Mike says:
Mon, 12th Oct 20092:12 pm 

Well i personally can't wait to work full-time instead of going to school. I am gonna be teaching physical education and coach so i know for sure I'm gonna be doing something I love. There's no way anyone can tell me that that life is gonna be worse than my current life as a college student.

Name says:
Fri, 16th Oct 20092:59 pm 

The grass is always greener on the other side…

DJ says:
Mon, 2nd Nov 20093:57 pm 

I'm with "thedude" on this one. I'm an engineering student. I go to classes four days a week: 9am-8pm Mondays and Wednesdays, 9am-1:30pm Tuesdays and Thursdays. I also work 24 hours a week. When I'm not working or going to class, I do homework. I still get some socialization every week, but it’s not much different from people who have a job. In fact, I’d say people who have normal jobs have more socialization time. Maturing hurts, especially when it comes suddenly.

pauly says:
Sun, 8th Nov 20098:46 pm 

You drink 6 nights in a week? I am sure you are exaggerating but if you were not I would say you are an alcoholic. If you tried harder instead of getting drunk all the time and slutting around maybe you wouldn't be in this position.

You are a slutty alcoholic and you deserve your fate. If you put no effort in you normally wont (and certainly don't deserve) anything out of it.

WhiteAmericanMolecul says:
Fri, 13th Nov 200912:05 pm 

There are a lot of extremists in this conversation which for some reason tops google searches on the subject.

If you make careful observations, REAL happiness comes from how much time you spend with friends and family. (Make sure you separate this from faked happiness and religion-induced happiness)

Lauren is unhappy because now she has to provide for herself, and her friends are having to do the same, and are therefore not with each other as much enjoying their carefree ways.

"thedude" is an engineering student, so naturally he is going to have those bullshit science/engineering relationships with people that I am very familiar with myself (its the only relationship anyone has time for in this field), and therefore he does not like college as much.

Since happiness is also partially from doing what you enjoy and at least having enough money for the basics, college is just supposed to be to help you get those two things.

So its like this – if you dont have to study your ass off in school because of your major, thats fine. Have fun while you can, just know that it wont be that way forever.

If you do have to study your ass off, PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING:

Unless you want to be like "thedude" or myself, make 4 or 5 very good friends, and make these be the people you either live with/study with/eat with on study breaks/ on a daily basis. Do not jump around and try to always be making new friends, only shallowness will come from that.

OR join a fraternity. You dont have to drink that much, just join it and get some close friends. You can live like a Lauren and do the frat parties once a week, get laid if you want, and you will be in a wonderful equilibrium. I wish I was told this sometime during my freshman year when I just thought frats were stupid and "paying for friends"

Ryan UW says:
Sun, 6th Dec 200912:54 pm 

Lauren I would say that all these other morons just had a shitty time in school lol. I went out 2-3 times a week. I just graduated PT school around 6 months ago and agree with every word. And yes, graduating PT school means I had to do well as a undergrad, which I still did with partying 2-3 times a week. Its not hard. lol its just like the kids in HS who hated the popular kids and thought we would get what was coming to us in college. Now they think we will get whats coming to us in the real world and by not partying, hooking up, having fun, etc. theyre better than us. Yeah, the point of college is to get a degree to get a good job, but that doesn't mean I wasn't going to go out and have a great time every week. Idk, maybe just a Wisconsin/Midwest thing…

Rofl says:
Thu, 14th Jan 201010:00 am 

I can certainly help you with your sexual frustrations. Holla'!

Alex says:
Sun, 17th Jan 20104:58 pm 

lol…damn good thing I still have a couple years of college left.

Kora says:
Wed, 29th Sep 201010:49 am 

I was never a big fan of high school until college. I miss all of my friends who I will probably never hear from again. I am bored ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL the time and I'm finding it difficult to find a friend who isn't an alcoholic. I really thought that things would be different in college, like I wouldn't have to deal with annoying drunk douchebags anymore. I hope that life after college is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better.

Kristen says:
Wed, 1st Dec 201012:04 am 

If you're struggling so much with college, boy are you in for a treat in the real world. shut up college kid. I completely agree with this post. the real world sucks.

Carnelian says:
Wed, 1st Dec 20101:18 am 

Your name calling is unnecessary and inappropriate, and has nothing to do with how enjoyable most careers after college are.

It is very socially acceptable where I am from to drink every night and still attend classes and do well in school, although not all people do. And "slutting around"? Most college chicks have casual hook-ups. I think you grossly misinterpreted this article and should keep your closed-minded, ill-mannered comments to yourself.

Vinny says:
Mon, 28th Nov 20116:46 pm 

She went to bars and shagged with guys she took home?