There's a common conception of college where people automatically assume that once you go to college, you are going to thrive, and everything will be perfect. This common thought also pertains that you will immediately find your squad, get the best classes, go to the best parties, and so on.

I'm here to tell you that this the most false portrayal of college life I've ever heard.

When you first get to college, everything is so exciting, and you do seem whisked away into the fun social life on campus. You'll meet a few people who eventually become friends, go to a few football games or tailgates, explore more of your campus and what it has to offer, and most importantly, take cute pictures for social media that you'll always remember.

But those college pictures you'll see of other people "thriving" on your Discover Feed on Instagram aren't showing you the entire story. People can post whichever pictures they want, typically the best ones of them, to share how much fun they're having with their friends and followers. But this is only a glimpse at their college life; you're not seeing the multiple projects and tests they have to complete, the stress they feel over adjusting to a new environment, and so much more.

Social media paints a picture of people only at their best, which directly affects whoever is seeing the picture. If you're not having as much fun, or as beautiful, or as carefree as the person in the picture, then it's so much easier to feel like you've failed at college, at life, etc.

And then this just makes you feel even worse inside, and affects your overall mood in general. But this is also an extremely false and toxic way to think, because you can't spend your time at college, or your life, comparing yourself to others. Sometimes, the grass is greener on the other side, and that's something you have to live with. But don't automatically assume that those pictures being posted are showing the entire story, because those people are most likely going through their own problems.

It's honestly hard for anyone to have a perfect first year in college, because everyone has their own collection of problems they're dealing with, and only feel comfortable sharing a select portion of themselves with the world. You will have your share of fun and amazing memories, but you will also have moments where you feel like you're at your breaking point, because let's face it: college isn't easy.

I don't want to scare anyone into thinking that freshman year of college is horrible, because that's also not the case. Freshman year is what you make of it, and you will create some of the best memories. But going into your first year thinking that everything will be perfect will only set you up for disappointment, because nothing in life is perfect, not even college. You will have classes that you'll question joining, late nights in the library studying for tests and finals and feeling like you've hit a wall, parties that aren't as fun that you thought they'd be, and so on. And even though social media might show something different for some people, I can guarantee you that you're not alone and that everyone else is feeling the exact same way.

If you're a college freshman reading this, DO NOT BELIEVE THIS MISCONCEPTION GOING INTO YOUR FIRST YEAR. If you do, your heart will be broken to discover the false reality of this, and you'll suddenly start to feel like you've failed, or that you're a loser, because you're not having the best time of your life. But just know, that none of this is true. You haven't failed anyone; you're just living the true life of a college student.

So college freshmen: make the most of your first year. Have fun, discover what you love, try new things, challenge yourself, and be okay and accept yourself when you make mistakes or something isn't going in the way you expected it to. College is definitely like driving with unexpected bumps on the road, but you'll make it through the rest of the drive.