College is great. It's so much better than high school could ever be, but it's not all rainbows and sunshine, either. Here's everything you need to know about college before your first year.
It's boring if you don't involve yourself in clubs/activities
There's only so much time classes and hanging out with friends can kill. Involve yourself in clubs, get a job, or join some extra-curricular activity on the side in order to keep yourself occupied.
The parties aren't that glamorous
They can be quite disappointing, actually. There will be some nights where you'll genuinely have a good time and others nights where everything will go wrong. This includes pouring rain, dead parties, and/or overly-drunk friends that need babysitting.
The workload can be intense even if you don't procrastinate
Sometimes, you're going to have to work into the AM regardless of how much planning and working ahead you do.
You do see some people more than once
No matter how large your school may be, you will probably come across some faces more than once.
You can be 20 minutes from home and still get homesick
Even though I attend a university that's 25 minutes away from my home, I find myself getting homesick every now and then. Being in college means having little time to talk to your family and, naturally, missing them from time to time.
Not everyone is...accepting
People always tell you that college is super open and tolerant, but you will meet many people that are quite literally the opposite. Take that how you will.
It's only as fun as you let it be
It's really easy to get bored in college if you're not taking every opportunity to get out and meet new people. Don't limit yourself to your room, no matter how tired or lazy you may be, because you'll never now what you're missing out on.
You're not always going to be in classes that you like
Most universities require students to take a class or two in every subject regardless of their major. As a journalism major, the fact that I had to take a math and science class was quite possibly the worst news I had ever heard. Fortunately, once you get those classes out of the way, you can continue taking classes you actually enjoy.
Time flies!
The semesters go by fast. Make the most of your four years and remember that life's not supposed to be all that stressful.
Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health, says science
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