As rising freshmen, it was pretty easy to feel as though we’d learned all there is to know about college. Let’s face it, most high school seniors have endured so many colleges tours, they could practically lead one themselves. (I mean, what school doesn’t claim to have 100+ clubs, the best food around, and a respectable faculty-to-student ratio?) Between campus visits, applications, and the oh-so important decision, it’s not uncommon to have a whole lot of expectations regarding Freshman year.

The truth? College is not quite what it seems.

Free time is hard to come by, despite what you’d think. It’s true that we, as college students, typically only have two or three classes per day. However, studying and sleep take up a pretty large portion of any time left over. That’s not to say there isn’t any time to have a social life. Freshman year is all about finding a balance, after all. Down time just isn’t quite as easy to come by as expected.

Making friends actually isn’t so bad. Before move-in, nothing caused me more anxiety than realizing that I would know almost no one on campus. But college, at least at first, seems a lot like sleepaway camp. Being surrounded by new classmates 24/7 makes it pretty difficult not to form relationships. Before college, it was normal to make friends based on common interests including clubs and classes. After leaving home, however, I found that I was more likely to befriend classmates with similar values, rather than interests. One thing’s for sure: after only a semester of college, I’ve definitely made friendships that will last a lifetime.

All studying is not created equal. Skimming class notes the night before a test may have worked in high school, but it is not of much help in college courses. Not only do exams require studying for several days in advance, but simply reading over material is not at all effective. College tests demand actual understanding of concepts, which involves a different kind of studying than was ever necessary in high school. Believe me, I can spend hours studying and still not feel prepared for an exam. It’s new and definitely stressful, but also rewarding.

Yes, AP classes are challenging. No, they don’t quite compare to college courses. Although Advanced Placement courses are a great way to experience college-level academics while still in high school, their rigor alone does not equate to the experience of taking classes at a college or university. Much of the difference between high school and college academics is the need for serious time management skills, which the intensity of AP classes just can’t quite provide. AP courses were without a doubt beneficial, I just had no concept of how difficult college academics would be until I experienced it firsthand.

Majors change. A lot. It seems like everyone starts freshman year knowing exactly what they want to study. After all, we’ve spent years dreaming about future careers and making plans for adulthood. But by second semester, it feels as if everyone is changing their minds. It’s normal to reconsider, but it can be scary to realize the subject you love isn’t a good fit.

College is definitely different than expected, but one thing still seems to be true: college may in fact be among the best years of our lives.