15 Things They Don’t Tell You About Going to College
You attend a mandatory orientation, take a tour of the school, and ask numerous questions at the college panels, but there are still so many things that you will experience in college that no one will tell you about. Here’s just a few things they won’t tell you at Welcome Week:
1. You’ll constantly wear the same three t-shirts to class
After the first day, the comfort and ease of a t-shirt is much more desirable than dressing up for class. You’ll basically live in leggings and basic tees for the next four years.
2. You’ll miss home…and the home-cooked meals that come with it
You’ll be oh so grateful to get away from takeout and dining hall food when you return home for the holidays.
3. The complete lack of motivation to attend/never attending your early morning classes
Unless you have absolutely no choice, or by some weird chance you’re a morning person, you don’t need to torture yourself with any 8 a.m. classes. “It’ll be fun!” they said. “You’ll get so much done!” they said.
They lied.
4. You’ll battle it out just to get the best housing
Timing is everything, so if you’re even a second too late, your pick for housing could be snatched up. It’s Black Friday-level competition out there. Get your elbows up and your game face on!
5. You may not stay friends with (or ever be friends with) your roommates
Living on different schedules and being completely different people can make it hard to become and remain good friends. Don’t stress about being BFFs too much. Your college roommate doesn’t have to be in your wedding one day.
6. You’ll get locked out of your dorm at least once
Random fire drills and the occasional forgetfulness will have you calling up your roommate to let you into the room.
7. You’ll have doubts about the school you chose and/or the major you’re studying
It’s okay to change your major. It’s normal to experience doubts about where you are or what you’re studying. College is about finding yourself and the best path for you, and what you thought you wanted might change as you discover new interests.
8. The experience of being “college student poor”
Late night cravings, textbooks, eating out, going out, Uber rides, and random fines. You’ll constantly be asking yourself where all of your money goes.
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9. Taking naps whenever you can find time
You start to realize that when we were younger we took naps for granted.
10. You’ll be convinced to go out with friends even when you know you shouldn’t
It’s the middle of the week and you know you have a test coming up, but a last-minute text from your group chat asking you to come out with everyone will be irresistible.
11. Introductory classes require so much more effort than you expected
You’d be surprised by the number of essays, pop quizzes, and readings some professors can assign.
12. You’ll make friends in the most surprising situations
You’ll see that the more you involve yourself in new experiences, the more you make new friends that you might not have met otherwise.
13. You think the library is where you’ll get everything done
…yet you still end up procrastinating, especially when you’re trying to study with friends. The library is open 24 hours, includes entire floors designated for quiet study, has a Starbucks, and yet it’s still no match for the distraction of friends and your phone.
14. You’ll get excited over every package sent to you, no matter what it is
Care packages are always exciting, and even when you order something for yourself online you still feel special when your package arrives. A bag of Goldfish crackers and a sleeve of Oreos from your mom is like the treasure at the end of the rainbow.
15. College goes by faster than you realize
Freshman year flies by, and before you know it, it will be time to graduate, so enjoy every second of it.
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