College is a time of metamorphosis. Starry-eyed, idealistic young freshmen ‘blossom’ into the world-weary, apathetic students such as you or I. More often than not the transition from their very first Fall semester to their first Spring semester is all that’s required to take that bright young mind and shrivel it into what we have to work with the rest of our college careers. For you post-secondary first-timers, the differences between Fall and Spring are strange, and many. But have no fear children, for enlightenment is just a little further down the page. Pros and Cons incoming. 

FALL SEMESTER

(Pro) Celebration Saturation: For you extroverts out there, Fall semester is the best time to hit up the bars and parties to meet new people. The warm weather and football season supply more than enough reasons to drink and be merry. Though there are some people who take this to heart, and drink and be merry and drink and be merry until they’re drunk and married. College is for B.S’s and PhD’s, not Mr. and Mrs. Finding the ‘One’ in college is perfectly fine; just make sure your entire relationship isn’t based around your friends Jack, Bud, and Miller.

(Con) It’s hot. So very, very hot: Don’t let the official title of ‘Fall’ semester fool you. Georgia’s summer lasts well into late November, and heat spikes are common even in the middle of winter. It’s Mother Nature’s way of saying she hates your outfit and that purple totally isn’t your color. And not to mention all your classes keep the air conditioning at 68 degrees to ‘compensate’, so your tank top and shorts are nowhere near enough to keep you comfortable. The nights are pleasant enough, or at least they would be if it weren’t for the swarms of gnats flying down your throat. I try not to yawn when I’m outside.

(Pro) Freeeedom!: You’re a young adult now; you’re entitled to your privacy and individuality. And whether it’s because they never knocked, or insisted you keep your 10:30 curfew from middle school, you’re probably excited to get some time away from dear old Mom and Dad. Your first semester is all about taking new risks and stepping out of your comfort zone. Or, if leaving your comfort zone isn’t your thing, you can exercise your newfound freedom by like, peeing in the shower or doing your laundry in the sink.

(Con) Freeeedom! Part 2: Oh god, how do you even use this washing machine? Where do I pick up my student loans? Forks are okay to go in the microwave, right? You haven’t had a home-cooked meal in three weeks and your parents are ‘renovating’ your bedroom into that home office they always wanted.

Yayyy! Welcome to adulthood. You’re gonna like it here.

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SPRING SEMESTER

(Pro) Winter Wonderland!: Well, sort of. Some of you prefer summers, but consider this: you can always put on more clothes to keep yourself warm but you can only take so much off. Feel free to take that off too, if you don’t mind a criminal record. Everyone else might mind, though.

(Con) Geese: Also known as ‘spawn of Satan,’ these woeful waterfowl torment the whole of campus with their pitiful existence. With Georgia being as far south as these stupid birds wanting to travel, we’re stuck with them until the weather starts to warm. They’re not pretty, they’re not friendly and I’ve nothing against blowing them out of the sky with heavy artillery fire.

No, this has nothing to do with the fact that one bit me in the ass that one time freshmen year. Why would you even think that.

(Pro) Snowpocalypse: There’s always that fleeting chance of icy temperatures rolling into town. As a humble, southerly state, Georgia calmly reacts by shutting down every facility within one hundred miles of snow or ice. Classes are canceled and assignments are delayed and you can spend all day lying in bed! Unless you lost power; then you’re probably like, REALLY cold.

(Con) Grade Point “Below” Average: You’ve realized that skipping that one 8:00 am class you had probably wasn’t a good idea, and now you really have to hit the books if you want to hike that GPA back up to a level that keeps you out of train yard hobo status. I’m all for riding the rails as the next guy, but you’re probably better off as a bachelor instead of a bum.