Art school isn’t all fun and games. Sure, a lot of studio classes don’t give midterms, or exams in general, so that’s a load off our shoulders. But with crippling deadlines and sometimes soul-crushing critiques, it’s sort of an even trade off. No matter what school you go to, all us art kids have the same struggles.

1. "Being an art major must be so easy!"

Okay, yeah, drawing for homework does sound like it can be a walk in the park from an outside perspective. The reality: it takes up a huge chunk of time and there’s no way around it. Not to mention, it’s not always drawing and painting. There are art history classes, theory classes and all sorts of major requirements that don’t revolve around physically making art.

2. Having to buy a portfolio and a ton of extra supplies

Textbooks are already expensive, but when your Studio Art 101 professor drops a list on your desk of all the “extra materials” the class requires, you can hear your wallet crying in the distance. Art supplies are expensive. Not to mention having to lug a giant square filled with heavy drawing pads, a drawing board and other artsy odds and ends across campus is a pain with a capital P.

3. Classmate comparisons

Once you pass through the prerequisites and graduate on to the high level art courses, you’re stuck with the real, dedicated students. Of course, we are all our worst critics, so, naturally, every other student’s work is 100 percent better than yours. It’s sort of an artistic downfall. But, we all have our own styles. And yes, some people can be amazing at what they do, however, nine times out of ten, they feel the same way about your work.

4. Figure Drawing

I envy anyone who can draw a perfectly proportioned human. Let’s be honest, people suck. They’re complicated, detailed and just overall not a fun or easy thing to learn to draw. When that model comes in to class for three hours of intensive figure drawing, that’s when you know you’re going to lose all feeling in your hand.

5. That looming fear of the “starving artist”

A career in the arts may not be the most stable path in life. We know that. Every great artist has that fear of being broke, struggling to sell their work online or at craft shows. Questioning the worth of an art degree is inevitable. Will it pay the bills? Can I make a career out of this? Maybe, possibly. But it’s always good to have a fall back, just in case.

6. Your hands are never clean. Ever.

Art can also be messy. With the exception of digital arts, having paint stains and charcoal rubs are just part of the gig. Especially when you’re rushing to your next class, it may just be worth it to keep the clay stuck in your fingernails until that night’s shower.

7. “You should draw me!”

The forbidden phrase every artist loathes to hear. We all know the struggle of having a non-artist friend who constantly hounds you to draw them something. It’s flattering at first, but that kind of stuff can get annoying real quick. Yes, I can draw. No, I will not draw you.

8. Long class periods

Art classes in college are notoriously longer than your average college class. Most of the time, classes are divided between a lecture and work period. No one likes a three hour class, no matter how much freedom it entails.

9. Class Critiques

Everyone knows that public speaking is difficult, no matter the class or presentation. Defending your work in front of a bunch of people who are silently judging you doesn’t really help ease the nerves.

10. Art block

Not knowing how to start a paper, or even finish one, is a struggle everyone in college knows all too well. It works the same way for art students. The creative freedom we have is kind of limited when there are so many possibilities to choose from. It’s hard to know where to start or what to draw. Let alone get everything perfect.