Looking in retrospect at the first almost three years of my college career, I can honestly say that it was not at all what I expected. I ask myself each day if the tuition money that I am spending to go to a private university are going to be worth it when I receive that little piece of paper that lets the world know that I finished my degree; albeit I am not going to be the brightest lady on the east coast, I can certainly say that I already am finding a great deal of value in those dollars in the lessons that I have learned thus far.

I've spent an innumerable amount of hours in the library, in the classroom, or working on the endless piles of homework. Maybe I didn't spend as many as I should have, but I certainly did spend my fair share working laboriously on the masses of homework that everyone since freshman year of high school has been "preparing" you for.

What they don't prepare you for, however, are those life lessons that you will learn outside of the classroom.

1. You will learn the in's and out's of your dining hall. Very. Quickly.

According to numerous sources, the university that I attend apparently has one of the best dining halls on the east coast. If this is one of the best, I cannot even BEGIN to imagine what some of the worst look like. From day one, you will recognize the few sections that you deem as "safe" to eat; if you are more of a picky eater, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches made in your dorm room will become a regular.

Hey, you can never have too much PB&J.

2. You do not have to drink in order to have fun.

The general consensus is that you are supposed to get drunk on beer from a keg in order to have a good time; oh, the contraire. Stumbling home from a party or having a wicked hangover on family day is not all that it's cracked up to be. There's nothing wrong with enjoying it, but it absolutely does not have to become the regular in order for you to enjoy yourself.

3. You will have a friend that is uncannily good at stalking; use her well.

Whether it's for the name of the cute boy from the dining hall or the girl from your accounting class that said she would help you with your homework, she'll get you the information that you need.

4. How to budget your money.

Because if there was one word to describe throughout the vast majority of the first two and a half years, it was broke.

5. Your first roommate won't always be your last.

When you search "college roommate" on Google, one of the first queries that pops up is "college roommate horror stories." Although there are plenty of crazies out there, they are all going to teach you a few things about living with other people, and about yourself. The greatest lesson that I learned was that just because you are friends with them, doesn't mean that you can live with them. Some people are just better off as friends, not roommates. And that's okay.

6. Registering for classes will never get better.

Hate to break it to you, but registering for classes will always cause a stress-induced breakdown on whether or not you will graduate on time, sections of classes that you NEED (not at 8 am) filling up before it's your turn to register, and getting the professors that ratemyprofessor.com explicitly tells you to AVOID AT ALL COSTS. But each time, you'll learn new tips and tricks to get the classes that you need/want, your advisor will be your best friend, and taking classes with friends (even if you have that dreaded professor) always makes everything (a little bit) better.

7. You will probably never regret staying in once in a while as opposed to going out.

Throwing on your favorite movie and ordering Dominos with your best friends will never get boring, trust me.

8. Even if you and your best friend don't talk every day, does not mean that a single thing will change about your friendship.

Hundreds of miles away or living in the dorm next door, you will make new friends and become distracted and forget your daily vent-session with your bff. But I'm willing to bet that the next time you pick up the phone and call her, it will be as though nothing ever changed. That's why she's your bff, remember?!

9. That being said, you will learn who your real friends are.

College is the time to "find yourself" and inevitably along the way, you will figure out who the people are in your life that matter, and who the people are that will slowly fade into the past.

10. Caffeine will be your friend if all else fails.

Coffee lovers, unite!

11. Never hesitate to ask your professor for extra help.

That is what they are there for! And chances are, they want to help whether its attending their office hours or getting the class tutor, they are going to help you succeed.

12. The freshman 15 is REAL.

Between the sub-par food at the dining hall, the excessive amounts of alcohol that you will inevitably consume (or not) and not having your parents there to tell you to eat your vegetables, it will happen. But it's not the end of the world.

13. ...but you don't have to starve yourself to avoid it.

Believe it or not, there are healthy and vegan options in the dining hall and again, believe it or not, they aren't half bad. Every campus also has a gym; I recommend using it. You don't need to starve yourself or spend all of your spare time at the gym, just be healthy, know your limits, and have confidence in yourself to lose it in case you do gain the dreaded weight.

14. Long (or short) distance will work if you want it to.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Being apart allows you both to make new friends and develop new interests, and it turn you get to share those new friends and interests with each other and broaden your horizons. FaceTime, Snapchat and other social media networks allow you both to still stay connected and see each other regardless of how far away you are. It's not going to be easy, but it will absolutely be worth it.

15. Don't sell yourself short.

Of anything; jobs, internships, being an executive member of on-campus groups. Build a network and use it. You will not regret making a LinkedIn account and connecting with everyone that you meet (professors, peers, the kid down the hall). Every little bit helps!

16. Get involved. No, really.

Every person that you will come across freshman year will tell you to get involved; they do that with good reason. You can have a 4.0 GPA and graduate with honors, but that doesn't mean that you are going to get hired for your dream job. While it certainly helps, employers like to see that you can balance multiple items at once: your school work, a job, an internship, joining a club or sport, going Greek, etc. Plus, it's a great way to make new friends and build your network whether it be socially or professionally.

17. It's okay to skip class.

Just don't make a habit of it. It costs a lot of money to go to college, and your tuition dollars go to paying the professors so make good use of it.

18. How to clean.

Although I cleaned my room and my bathroom (almost) every week while I was growing up, you will quickly learn that your parents won't be there to remind you to clean up after yourself. After running out of clean underwear or seeing the clumps of hair accumulating on your floor, you'll get the hint.

19. Chances are, you don't need to buy the textbook.

In most cases, your professor will be teaching directly from the textbook and if you take decent notes during class, chances are you won't even need to crack the book. I don't want to admit how much money has been spent on textbooks that have never been opened.

20. It is okay to change your mind.

Whether it's about the decision to go to college, the college you attend, or your major, your friends and family are going to be there to support you each step of the way. It's very rare that a teenager can correctly choose the right career path and stick to it for the rest of their lives, and people understand that. Have patience; you will find your calling.

College can either be a nightmare, an adventurous one, or hopefully, a balance of the two.