7 Inevitable College Canon Events (And How To Survive Them)

Let's get one thing straight: earning your college degree is 10% academics and 90% surviving unhinged plot twists you absolutely did not ask for.

Ever found yourself in a college disaster so absurdly specific it felt scripted? There is a perfect term for these types of moments: a canon event. It's a defining moment that has to happen to the main character in order to make them exactly who they are meant to be. You can't skip it, dodge it, or outsmart it.

On campus, these moments have become a mandatory (and often humbling) rite of passage. It is the universe's way of forcing you into some non-negotiable character development—usually at the expense of your peace of mind.

Whether you're a freshie or a caffeine-fueled senior, the universe has its way of making us suffer through the exact same plot points.

During your freshie year, you were probably adopted by a massive friend group of 15 people. You ate lunch together every single day, took over entire rows in the library, and promised to be friends forever. But as semesters pass, it's a canon event for that giant group to shrink. It's rarely a dramatic falling out—just life happening through changing schedules, majors, and priorities. By senior year, you're left with a tight-knit core.

It can feel a little sad or lonely when you feel your group drifting, but try not to force a dynamic that you're outgrowing. Normalize the fact that some friendships are only meant for a specific season of your life. Remember: it is always about quality over quantity.

You confidently strut onto campus on the first day, only to realize you have no idea where your room—or building—is. You end up speed-walking, desperately asking a random upperclassman or guard for directions.

To avoid this, do a dry run of your schedule a day or two before classes officially start. Find your buildings, locate your classrooms, and figure out the fastest routes.

But if you still get lost, just swallow your pride and ask someone! We promise you, upperclassmen are not as scary as they look, and the campus guards are always happy to point you in the right direction.

Ironically, you can leave your laptop or your entire life's savings on a cafeteria table to reserve a seat, and absolutely no one will touch it. But an umbrella left on the rack outside during rainy szn? Apparently, it's fair game. You step out of a three-hour lecture to find your trusty umbrella mysteriously gone.

Invest in a foldable umbrella and keep it in a waterproof pouch. Buy one in the most obnoxious neon color imaginable, and label the handle. Make it so unique that nobody can "accidentally" take it.

Staying up till the sun rises to finish school work is a canon event. The night usually kicks off with determination at 10 p.m., gradually devolves into existential dread by 3 a.m., and ends with you chugging your third iced coffee as the sun rises.

If you have to stay up all night, you need to be smart about it. Study at a proper desk with bright lighting so your brain knows it's work time. Make sure you hydrate with water between those cups of coffee, and rest in between to keep your focus sharp and give your eyes a break.

But if you're reading the same paragraph five times without understanding a word, you need to close your books and catch some sleep. Eventually, this exhausting night will teach you the ultimate lesson: time management is way better than cramming.

Ah, enlistment szn—the Hunger Games of college. The nice professors' slots filled up, and now you're stuck with that prof you've heard all the bad reviews about. You know who we're talking about: the instructor who thinks giving flat 1.0s is an urban legend and lives for surprise graded recitations.

It's intimidating, and it might make you question your major for a second. But don't panic just yet! Surviving a v strict professor gives you the thickest skin ever, which is major prep for the real world.

Read the syllabus thoroughly, show up on time, and don't be afraid to ask questions. Plus, the trauma-bonding study sessions with your classmates are unmatched—you're going to make some of your best college friends in that very room.

Having a three-month situationship is arguably the ultimate (yet unfortunate) canon event. It starts with chemistry and late-night talks, but somehow never comes with a label. It's essentially participating in something that looks like a relationship while quietly avoiding the responsibility of actually calling it one.

When it ends, you're left mourning a breakup for a relationship you were technically never in, which can feel incredibly confusing. It's completely normal to grieve a short-lived romance with someone whose feelings didn't quite match yours. Take this as a painful but necessary lesson in discovering your self-worth. Stop accepting half-love! If someone truly wants you in their life, you'll never have to guess.

You're sitting in a major class, listening to your classmates drop big words and cite readings you barely skimmed, and suddenly it hits you: 'Do I even belong here?’

Enter imposter syndrome. Feeling like you fluked your way into university is a universal college experience. Here's a secret: everyone is faking it a little bit. You need to remember that you are in that room for a reason. Whenever that little voice of doubt creeps in, remind yourself of all the hard work it took to get where you are right now.

In the thick of it, college feels overwhelming. But every canon event is just a chapter of you figuring it out. Let the plot unfold—soon, you'll trade these messy moments for a graduation toga.