15 Things That Nobody Tells You About College | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

15 Things That Nobody Tells You About College

...until it's too late.

18
15 Things That Nobody Tells You About College
Sienna Staley

College life is glamorized on television, but there are plenty of unexpected things that no one likes to tell you. It might be the best four years of your life, but it's also probably the most stressful.

1. You will be broke 24/7.

If you have an estimate for how much money you're going to spend, go ahead and add a couple hundred more dollars to that list. No matter how well you budget, there are always unexpected fees that pop up. It can be something school-related like an additional textbook or something silly like needing to get a new phone charger. And, of course, there are always times when you're going to splurge by going out to eat, buying that cute dress you see at the mall, or getting tickets to a cheap concert on campus. I promise you, you'll be spending more money during the semester than you expected to.

2. You will meet a ton of people, but not all of them will be your friend for all four years.

During your freshman year, you'll add plenty of people to your friends list on social media. But you'll probably only interact with them for a semester at the most. Maintaining friendships in college takes a whole lot of effort. You have different schedules and a lot of different things going on, so you won't have time to hang out as much as you'd like. Therefore, you're probably not going to stay friends with the girl who sat across the room from you once in your English class.

3. You don't have to be best friends with your roommate(s).

If you're lucky, you'll have a roommate that you click with instantly, but this isn't always the case. Sometimes, it's just not going to happen. Learn to tolerate each other until the end of the year and you'll make it through.

4. The "freshmen 15" is not a myth.

And to be honest, it's more like the "freshman 50." Campus food is NOT healthy, and you're constantly tempted to cheat and eat a bunch of junk food because it's cheap and convenient. You have to make a conscious effort to eat healthy and go to the gym, or you're going to put on weight, no matter how fast your metabolism works.

5. Pre-Reqs and Gen Eds are your number one enemy.

You'll be taking classes that you absolutely do not care about and they will more than likely be at a really awful time. But you have to do it, otherwise, you can't take the classes that you actually need. It's going to suck and you're going to hate it, but you'll get through it eventually. Besides, if you pay attention and put in a little effort, they'll help boost your GPA.

6. Skipping class isn't always worth it.

You're already paying tons of money for the class, you paid a couple hundred for the book, and if you fail, you'll have to pay some more to re-take it. So go to class, take notes, pay attention. Might as well get your money's worth.

7. A one-night stand with someone on your floor is a bad idea.

You're going to run into them, and it's going to be awkward. I don't care how cute he is, It's not worth it.

8. Procrastinating will not help you.

College is busy and professors like to schedule everything at the same time, because they fail to realize that you're taking multiple classes. Don't wait until the last minute to write your paper or study for that test. You'll regret it.

9. Prioritizing is a major key to success.

Class is important. Studying is important. Sleep is important. Doing your laundry is important. Eating a meal is important. YOU are important. That television show can wait. Your social media doesn't have to be updated every second. Do the things that you need to do first, and then you'll have plenty of time to do the things that you want to do.

10. Staying in a dorm isn't as bad as you think.

There are plenty of downfalls. The heating/cooling systems never work. The shower water is always cold. The mattress is hard. There are bugs. Everything is small and cramped. But you also get the chance to make a ton of friends and you're all experiencing the same things together. You're not going to miss the dorm when you finally get your own apartment, but you'll miss the memories that you made.

11. Dating in college is just as complicated as dating in high school.

Because boys never grow up.

12. You won't always get the classes that you want.

"The best part of college is that you get to pick your classes." This is true, but sometimes classes fill up quickly, especially if it's at a good time or the professor has good reviews on RateMyProfessor. You're not guaranteed a spot in the class. And if you have to change one class, you might have to completely change your schedule, and then you won't end up with any of the classes that you want.

13. You CAN maintain friendships with people from back home.

Modern technology is wonderful because you can keep in touch with people even when they are hundreds of miles away. I constantly hear that it's impossible to stay friends with the people that you leave at home, but this is 100 percent false. It takes a little effort, and you won't talk as much as you used to, but if you want to keep your old friends, you can.

14. It's okay to cry.

College is stressful and it takes a huge toll on you mentally. I find myself crying for the dumbest reasons nowadays, and that is 100 percent okay. It'll make you feel better. I promise.

15. You WILL get homesick.

No matter how independent you are, you'll miss your family and your hometown. You might not want to go back permanently, but you'll definitely appreciate it and you'll find yourself looking for excuses to call or visit.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

8 Things I Realized After My First Semester In College

Actually, Kylie Jenner, 2018 is the year of realizing things.

94
Friends

The first semester of college is famous for being one of the most difficult transitions of one's young adult life. You're thrown into a completely new area where the majority of the people surrounding you are strangers in an academic environment that's much more challenging then what you've grown accustomed to for the past twelve years. On top of that, you probably share a room with another person (or even multiple people) on the lumpiest "mattress" you've ever slept on.

With this change comes a lot of questions: what do I want to major in? What am I passionate about? Is what I'm passionate about something I'm actually good at? Why does the bathroom smell like cranberry juice and vodka? What is that thing at the bottom of the shower drain?

Keep Reading...Show less
girls with mascot
Personal Photo

College is tough, we all know. Here are 8 gifs you will 99% relate to if you are in college.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

7 Things College Has Taught Me

Other than knowledge and all those important things

402
7 Things College Has Taught Me
We Know Memes

So, college is the place where you're supposed to learn all of these amazing life skills.

Here are the top seven skills I have learned thus far.

Keep Reading...Show less
college

College is some of the greatest years of anyone's life. Its a time to be outrageous, different and free; a time to do everything you were afraid to do. Here are 38 things you will learn during your four (maybe, five or six) years in college!

1. As a freshman, one does get to be called “freshman” by upperclassmen when they walk to parties in a mob of people.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

6 Unrealistic Expectations Society Has For Young Adults

Don't let the thesaurus-inspired vocabularies in our résumés fool you. We're actually just big kids.

3056
boy in adult clothes

Well over four feet tall and 100 pounds in weight, many of us "young adults" of the world still consider ourselves children. Big, working, college-attending, beer-drinking children. We may live on our own, know how to cook noodles, and occasionally use a planner, but don't be fooled; the youthful tendencies that reside within us still make their way into our daily lives. From choosing to stay up until 3:00 a.m. playing video games on a school night to going out in 30 degree weather without a coat, we still make decisions that our parents and grandparents would shake their heads at in disappointment. So why are we expected to know exactly how to be a wise, professional, sensible adult? It's not that we're irresponsible (for the most part, anyway). It's that we are young, inexperienced, and still have the sought-after, enthusiastic mentality that we can do and be whatever we want, which has not yet been tarnished by the reality of the world. These are just a few of the unrealistic expectations that society has for young adults.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments