Being in my second to last semester in college, I was thinking back to my senior year of high school and how nervous I was about college. I remember listening to my high school teachers talk about how I was going to seriously wish I was back in high school and how college was going to be the absolute hardest thing ever. They would talk about how the professors weren't going to be as flexible with things like homework and assignments. How college would not take it easy on students. I would start thinking things like how I might not fit in. Things like how I would be gobbled up by college and spit out -- reduced to nothing, but a pile of gunk.

Well, I am here to let that worrying senior know exactly what to expect in college. I feel hearing from someone who is actually going through it is more helpful than hearing from someone who has already been through it and so long ago, like our high school teachers.

Let me just start by saying that college is indeed HARD. You are completely responsible for yourself and there is no one to coddle you like there is in high school.

You are in charge of checking the syllabus and making sure you turn in your assignments on time. College professors will not chase you down and make sure you turned in your homework or paper to them. Many professors do not even remind you of the homework or project due until the night before its due, or if they have something to add to an assignment, they will tell you a few days before it's due.

You will also HAVE to deal with financial aid. Let me just tell you that financial aid is the absolute worst thing ever! Whether you plan on paying for college using financial aid, student loans, scholarships or out-of-pocket, you will definitely have to deal with your financial aid office and something will inevitably go wrong. They will lose a piece of paperwork they need from you, they will forget to tell you something or they will incorrectly put something into the computer. Whatever it is, something will go wrong and you will want to cry.

The syllabus and a planner are your best friends. Remember the days in high school where you could get away with doing last minute homework in homeroom? Well, the homework in college gets harder and multiplies, making it near impossible to b--- s---- your assignments. College courses also go at a much faster speed meaning assignments are assigned closer together. Checking your syllabus at least weekly -- if not on a daily basis -- and having a planner to write all your assignments' due dates down will be your saving grace. You may have gotten away with not having these things in high school, but believe me, college is a whole new beast.

One of the best things about college is the access to so many clubs and organizations. The University of South Florida alone offers clubs for EVERYTHING. Whether you like makeup, movies, music, academics or even Disney -- yes I said Disney -- USF offers it. I have yet to find a club or organization for a specific major. They have science clubs, math clubs, religion clubs, writing outlets like magazines and the campus newspaper. Whatever you can think of you can probably find it in some form at USF.

I could go on and on about the good and the bad of college. Just let me say this, college is hard and a lot of it comes from how much you put into it. If you stay on top of your classes and communicate with your professors and advisors regularly about any troubles you are having then you will have a good grip on college. If you slack off and have zero communication with any classmates or anything then you will not have a good time at college.

College is hard and you will get overwhelmed at times. Just remember that communication is key. Get together with some classmates and form a study group or talk with your professors or advisor about the best way to go about your classes.

College is also what you make of it. For me, it was a time to really step into what I wanted to do with my life and I really did become a different person. You have to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. Even if you do not know what you want to major in, keep an open mind. Campuses offer a lot of majors that you could possibly study in. The trick is to open yourself up and be willing to experience new things and people.