If you know the TV show “Black-ish” or you are a college student, you most likely know about the spin-off show “Grown-ish.”

The show, which premiered in 2018, is a coming-of-age story about a group of college students who attend California University. I have been watching it since the first episode, and I must say thus far, the college experience is almost just like it.

University students are constantly told that they must maintain an excellent balance of school and social lives, but it is easier said than done.

In “Grown-ish,” Zoey tries to maintain her academic success while also trying to raise her social status. It can be difficult when homework assignments are due, which causes you to spend most of your days making sure your work is done.

Mental health is something that is not discussed enough, but can be affected quite often while in college. In the show, one of the characters, Aaron, raises awareness about the mental health of college students and how nobody ever wants to speak about it. Here at Eastern, the counselor in the Human Services building is constantly backed up with appointments, which shows that many students on campus can be dealing with something like depression since they have arrived.

Trying to stay on top of your finances is also a struggle that is made clear in the show. College occurs during your adult years, meaning your parents will most likely start to give you less money or no money at all. Zoey was cut off from her father when he found out that she cheated, which caused her to lose her money, her car and she was behind on rent.

Love and sex definitely come into play when you enter college. You are more than likely to have encounters since college is also a place you find out who you are, why you want to continue your education and what kind of people you are interested in. In the show, Zoey dealt with three different boys and tried to figure out which one she was interested in more.

I do feel like “Grown-ish” has given me a taste of what to expect before coming. I would recommend the show to anyone who either wants to compare or contrast or just enjoy a good show.

Rayshaun Stevens is a freshman journalism and political science major. He can be reached at 581-2812 or at rjstevens@eiu.edu.