Remember that scene in "(500) Days of Summer" when Joseph Gordon-Levitt has this ideal of how he's going to win Zooey Deschanel back and his expectations then screen-split with reality? That's what this article is. As the school year comes to a close (specifically my first year at college), I look back and think about all that happened and how my year differed dramatically from my expectations.

1. Dorm Life

Expectation: I imagined my dorm to be my little safe haven from the world and my classes and began a dorm board on my Pinterest my senior year. I was ready to hang cute decorations and pictures all over and have everything cutely organized and coordinated with my roommate. My room was going to be the best room in my dorm.

The Reality: I spend the least amount of time in the day in my room. It is mostly messy with clothes hanging off of my chair or occasionally on the floor if it doesn't make it to my hamper. I think I count the times I made my bed this semester on my hands (but I have washed my sheets...let's make that very clear) and I have a pile of paper and textbooks at my bedside from throwing them down before I go to bed. I spend most of my time in the Music Building or in the lobby of my dorm because that's where most of my friends hang out. Despite all that though, my room is still in my opinion the best room in my dorm.

2. Parties

Expectations: I expected scary rages to take over the weekends and I would be left alone to my own devices in my dorm. I stayed away from parties, thinking that everyone would be either drunk, high, having sex, or if you're lucky, a combination of all three.

The Reality: Those parties do happen, but not often. Most parties will have alcohol, but it's not like everyone is completely incoherent. The parties I've gone to have actually ID'd underaged students and marked me and my friends with a big X or M on our hands. The hosts usually do what they can to prevent major problems or having parties shut down by abiding to apartment building rules. The most important thing is to always go to parties with people you know and trust. Or just stay home and sleep or watch netflix.

3. Guys

Expectations: This is it. My moment to find the man of my dreams. I mean, my friend found her husband within the first few weeks of freshman year, maybe I'll be just as lucky?

The Reality: They're all either gay or only want sex. Oh, and the decent guys are already taken. If you get lucky and find a decent guy, hold on tight and don't let him go.

4. Classes

Expectations: You took AP and Dual Credit classes throughout your entire high school career and you're practically going into college as a credited sophomore or junior. You've mentally prepared yourself for the challenge of difficult classes and you have a game plan in your oh-so-fancy day planner. You're trying to plan your schedule out and you think to yourself "I can do 8 a.m. classes. I had to go to school earlier than that in high school so I can do it."

The Reality: Classes in college are nothing like AP and Dual Credit classes. In fact, you have more work to do in college because teachers are required to have a certain amount of grades in with every test you take per unit. Not in college. Sometimes the only grades you have in the class are your test grades. Your planner gets slowly destroyed as you take it everywhere and scribble almost every minute of your time in it. Those 8 a.m. classes you signed up for? The worst decision you ever made.