When entering college, you have a certain set of expectations. Chances are, you're imagining fun parties, crazy tailgates, and tons of events, with just a little bit of studying sprinkled in between it all. You expect to come in and breeze through all your classes like you did in high school, you expect to know everyone that passes you by on a first name basis, and you expect that five minutes is enough to get to your next class. I'm here to tell you that is not exactly how it works.
1. Campus. Is. Huge.
There are about a dozen different class buildings (if not more) and about a dozen other buildings on top of that, which seem to serve no purpose at all. Just when you think you've got it all down, you find another building hidden among the trees. It's a never-ending maze, but that's half of the fun!
2. Your bank account will struggle.
This is a fact. From textbooks, to access codes, to parking costs and membership fees, the money is just never enough. You will learn how to survive for two weeks off of ten dollars and some Easy Mac. Food is a privilege, and so is basically anything else. You will learn to be frugal, and you will love every minute of it.
3. The responsibility falls on you.
In college, you are responsible for literally everything that happens to you. If you want a good grade, you have to study. If you want to skip class, you can. If you want to stay out late, you may. Whether or not you pass or fail depends entirely on you. It's a scary thought at first, but once you get used to it, you realize that with the right balance, you can have it all.
4. Friendships may not go as expected.
Going into college, most of us believe that we are going to keep all of our closest friends from high school and be one big happy family. Unfortunately, most of the time, life gets in the way. Those friends you once shared everything with may become strangers. But not to worry! You will meet a ton of new people. People who might become friends you can't spend a day without. There is a bright side to everything, and making new friends is definitely one of them.
5. You will miss home.
Whether you live near school and decided to live on campus, you flew hundreds of miles away, or you commute, you will miss your home. You will spend more hours on campus than you even knew was possible. That is okay. Call your parents, tell them how much you miss them, but don't ever give up your opportunity to live at school because you are scared of change.
6. You will actually learn.
Crazy, right? In college, you are no longer doing things solely for the grade you will get on your exam. You take classes because you are interested in them, and chances are, you will actually learn in a lot of them. Embrace it.
7. It will be the best four years of your life.
Don't rush through college wanting to start your life in "the real world." Enjoy every tailgate, every party, every test, every breakdown, every second. All of the things that happen to you throughout college will shape you as a person and give you unforgettable memories. Once you are done, you'll want to go back. Make sure your experience is worth it!
