Going into college, I didn't know the reality of what to expect. In case your like me, here's a list of some challenges you might face throughout your time in college.

Trying to figure out what to spend your next four years studying (and then the rest of your life working in a related field…no big deal) is a struggle. My friends and I came to college supposedly knowing exactly what we wanted to do, and after one semester most of us have changed our minds completely. One inspiring class could change everything, and that’s okay.

Taking four or five classes every semester seems like no big deal…until the semester actually starts and you’re being swallowed whole by research papers and exams and reading. Find the right balance between your social life and your academic life. Take your studies seriously. They are the reason you’re in college!

You’re going to miss people from home, whether you care to admit it or not.

If you thought that you grew as a person in high school, just wait until college. Change and grow. Major in whatever you are passionate about. End relationships with the people who are holding you back. Sometimes you will have to disappoint people to do what is best for yourself. You are allowed to.

I'm a first-year nearing the end of my first semester of college. I’ve already made mistakes that have led me far, far away from the roots of my faith and values. It’s important to surround yourself with people who share your faith and morals.

Wow, there is a lot of pressure in college – pressure to succeed, pressure to fit in, pressure to do what everyone else is doing, etc. If there is one thing you take from this article let it be this: giving in to pressure absolutely will not result in anything worthwhile or helpful. Trust me on this one.

I’m not trying to scare you away from college. College is awesome. I have met some of the greatest and truest people here, and I have learned so much about myself and the world. Just know what to expect. You got this.