1. It'll be easy

If you're a high school "smart kid" this is your official warning that college will be so much harder than you're expecting. Start learning how to study now.

2. You'll miss home

I only miss my bed and my car, I'm not sorry.

3. Not everyone drinks

The school administration likes to push this narrative: not everyone drinks, not everyone parties, you can have fun while you're sober. It's true not everyone drinks, but most people definitely do

4. The dining hall food isn't that bad

It's not that bad the first week but then the chefs get lazy and you get used to it and by the end of the first month you feel like you have to throw up at the thought of chicken tenders. (You'll miss it like crazy when you move off campus though)

5. You need to bring *insert obscure item here*

You do not need an iron or a hot plate or a family pack of real dishes. And even if you decide you need something down the line, you can always run to Target or order it from Amazon.

6. The professors don't care about students, you're just a number

This couldn't be farther from the truth. I have professors who I'm very close to who are deeply invested in my success and care about what's going on in my personal life. If you're worried about your professors not seeing you as an individual, go to office hours. Make an effort to reach out to them and wait to see how they'll surprise you with how much they care.

7. You can definitely handle an 8am

No, just no. In high school you could wake up at 6 am, go to school for 7 hours straight, and then go straight to extracurriculars or an after-school job. Don't plan on doing that in college. You'll go to one or two classes and then need to take a nap.

8. The grades are just the midterm and the final

While some classes are structured so the only grades are the midterm and the final, most aren't. Almost all of them have homework, essays, participation grades, and even attendance that play into the grades so go to class and do your homework.

9. Everyone is sexually active

When I was in high school, I was convinced that no one in college is a virgin and that everyone either hooks up all the time or is in a long-term relationship. The truth is that people do what they want with their own sexuality and no one is super invested in anyone else's sexual behaviors.

10. You'll stay close to all your high school friends

My friends from high school have all gone separate paths and even the closest high school friendships take a lot of work to maintain, especially if you go to school out of state. With everyone going their own way after graduation, it's okay to let some people go.

11. These are the best years of your life

For some people, college is their best experience. For others, it's not. Don't get caught up in what the college experience "should be" and instead let it be what it is. Some days you'll love it and other days it'll stress you out to the point of exhaustion. Don't let other people's experiences dictate yours for you.