Oh, the Glory Days! College is inevitably a time to remember. Blood, sweat and tears are a real thing and learning how to rally is probably even more real. Every time you go on Facebook it is almost guaranteed that you'll see a picture of some kid looking like they're living the dream while they're away at school. We are all guilty of having pictures like that. But what you don't know is all the work and time management that had to take place in order for that kid to have the time of his or her life. Below are 5 misconceptions about college.
1. College is all fun and games.
It takes perseverance, dedication, and major skills to plan out a college schedule. From classes, group work, homework, internships and other school related activities it takes some planning expertise. Knowing exactly how much time is needed to complete a task can make or break the way your day goes. Students' days are relatively busy from the moment they wake up to the second they go to bed. When you see someone enjoying an event not school related they more than likely had to intensively prepare for that time slot to open up. That being said, this doesn't mean that you have to throw away all of your hopes and dreams for free time. You will have it if you know how to manage your time properly.
2. Alcohol intake is essential if you want to make friends.
Get over yourselves boys and girls because this is the furthest thing from true.
In fact, some of the most important friends you'll ever make are the ones that keep reappearing in your classes as the years go by. Obviously because they have similar interests and you will be able to help each other in the long run when you're trying to come out on top of all of your classes. You can also join a club or organization. This isn't saying that you won't get invited out for a couple of beers, but that certainly won't be the basis of the friendship.
3. Mommy and Daddy pay for everything. False, incorrect, untrue, and so so so wrong! College is expensive, yes. Some kids might be flashy and well dressed and others might have the latest Apple laptop. This doesn't mean that they don't work to support themselves, though. Studies have shown that there are more students who have a job versus the ones that don't.
4. You have to finish in four years.
As awesome as this sounds, not a lot of people do it. If you know that you can't handle a 15 credit hour course load, it isn't going to be the end of the world. There are ways to work around that. Shoot, that is the beauty of summer classes! They help you stay on track. Don't feel ashamed if you can't handle all of those classes at once. It is better to take what you can handle, excel in those classes, and then dedicate some time later to catch up and get yourself reestablished.
5. College is where you'll encounter the best years of your life.
This isn't a full misconception due to the fact that you make great memories during this time and you find out a lot about yourself. But college will also be where you see some of the toughest times and you'll probably have at least a few of what feel like mid-life crises. What is important is how you learn to overcome all that goes on and make the best of it. College isn't meant to kill you, but it is a learning experience in more ways than one.
