College Stories. My Girlfriend Is Too Naive--- ...

You can warn her about the group project slacker, the fake internship, or the flaky roommate. But if she insists on learning the hard way, let her. Be supportive after, not smug.

We’ve all heard the clichés about college being a place of transformation. You arrive as a kid who still calls their mom for laundry advice, and you leave (hopefully) as a functional adult who knows not to microwave ramen without water. College Stories. My Girlfriend is too naive--- ...

But what happens when you grow up at a different speed than the person sleeping in the bunk next to yours? What happens when your girlfriend’s worldview is so sweet, so trusting, so utterly innocent that it starts to feel less like a breath of fresh air and more like a ticking time bomb? You can warn her about the group project

Let me tell you about Lily.

College felt like an experiment in selfhood—stretching beliefs until they either tore or grew new seams. Lena’s “naivety” taught me that some risks are worth taking: the risk of being open to friendships that start weirdly and grow tenderly; the risk of believing people can change. My skepticism taught her the practicality of boundaries: checking references, keeping digital security tight, and saying “no” without apologizing. We’ve all heard the clichés about college being