I wish someone would have warned me about these things before my freshman year.

1. I may not love it at first.

Moving off to college is a super exciting time in anyone’s life, but it can also cause major anxiety and fear of what your life will be like living away from home. Learning to sleep in a completely different bed, waking up with a stranger next to you and eating every meal with a completely new group of people can be stressful and not seem like fun at first. I didn’t entirely love college when I first arrived simply because I didn’t have best friends yet due to the fact that we’d just met. It is totally fine to not enjoy everything, but giving it enough time to play out is.

2. You would find more best friends.

I had (still have) an irrational fear that my best friends from high school would find better friends at college and eventually drop me. This did not happen. In fact, we all made more friends at college in addition to the ones we had before. I could never replace my friends from home and I even found more bridesmaids at college.

3. I would likely become more politically aware.

College is when we move away from home and get more of an understanding of how the world works. This is the time you will very likely become even more aware politically. It is also much easier to meet people from different places who will have different ideologies. Always have respectful conversations and try to be open-minded with other’s opinions.

4. I would come to love Greek Life.

Before college I was only exposed to Greek life through what I saw on television and had absolutely no idea that it was so much more than what they depict in Hollywood. I am not a “sorority girl” in any way other than my inherently preppy attire but I somehow became one. I gave it a shot and realized that having a community of supportive, like-minded women can only help me.

5. I would curse more.

At college I’m surrounded by people my age, which is much different than my usual crowd at high school and work where there are children as well as babysitting. While at college I have no need to censor my language and I have found it is much easier to express how you feel when you can use almost any word in your vocabulary.

6. High school was harder.

I may have gone to a demanding high school but most people in college agree that the course-load in college may be a little more than in high school but is easier to get through with more free time. In college, depending on the school and schedule, the 4-6 hours of classes (at most) is a sizable change from high school. This could also spell disaster for procrastinators. Watch out!

7. Time management is much harder.

With the shorter school day, you have to learn time management all over again. While the school day is easier, there is also an increase in pass-times to do during the day. For example, you’ll use free time to eat with friends, hang out, and go to sports games or other social activities. Fitting classes and schoolwork into 16 hours of social interactions isn’t all that easy.

8. I would pack up my dorm and come back with twice as much as I left with????

I don’t know science but I know I didn’t take or buy THAT MUCH while at school. Maybe I’m a miracle worker. College will become home. After being away from home for so long, eating different food and spending everyday with different people, college starts to feel like home and during vacation, I didn’t expect to be itching to go back! I often find myself checking my school email or looking at my schedule for next semester or even just browsing the school’s website when I’m bored. Just the reminder that I will be on campus, living with friends again soon and taking classes within my major that interest me makes me VERY excited.