1) Your professors won't care about you.
It's true that in college you may have to put in more effort to get to know that scary person who stands in front of the class, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible! Your professors are there for the same reason your teachers in high school were -- because they want to teach! Sure, you'll come across the occasional bitter and grumpy professor, but that is true for all levels of school. Just because you are in college now does not mean that the people who are teaching you have no regard for you as a person! Take a deep breath, then visit them during their office hours. You may be surprised at how much fun getting to know a professor can be.
2) You will only be a number.
I cannot tell you how many times in high school I was told that I would be just a number, that my professors would never know my name, and that they would really never even knew I existed in their classroom. My fellow classmates and I were under the impression that once we got into college, we would be a number on paper that determined whether or not we were in a specific course, and nothing more. This is so, so untrue! Yes, in bigger universities you may come into some courses that are generalized core classes that so many people take, it would be impossible for the professor to know you all! But in your more major-specific courses, you absolutely matter! Professors will get to know you and they certainly care whether or not you are there and participating (no pressure!). Your name and your face matter just as much in a college classroom as anywhere else.
3) Parties.
This is for you, parents! Never fear, just because your bundle of joy is running off to college, does not mean that he or she will spend every moment of their free time at a party! To all you high school seniors out there, I know this isn't the best news, but it is important for you to know! Are there parties on college campuses? Absolutely, and they are easy to find. Sure, it is perfectly fine to indulge and go out with your friends when you can! You should always make time for fun in college, because this should be some of the best time of your life! But you are gearing up for your future now, and it is important that you always keep your academics as your primary focus. As much as Hollywood would like you to think otherwise, most college students are, well, just boring old college students! We have fun when we can but, there are deadlines everywhere, and we have to meet them.
4) You will love or hate your roommate.
You have either heard one or the other. You will either love your roommate like family, and they will become your lifelong bestie, or you will hate that person with a burning passion! The truth is, you will likely not reach either of those extremes. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a total myth, you will know people that will adore their roommates and they will be inseparable, and you will know people that are asking when the room change dates are within hours of move in. But for the most part, roommates tend to co-exist. You may not find yourself wanting to spend every second with your roommate, but that doesn't mean you can't sit and watch TV together and laugh about your day. Your roommate will most likely be someone you part with on good terms at the end of the year, and may even grab coffee with every once in a while.
5) You won't be homesick.
The biggest myth of them all. You will miss you family. Often. Not just your family but your dog, your bed, your local restaurants, your friends, your old hangouts, the list goes on and on. Going off to college is amazing and exciting and you will absolutely love it, but that doesn't mean you won't find yourself missing what you have left behind. But the good news is that it is perfectly OK to miss home, because I can guarantee you that home misses you too!
