Social media and the internet work together to create the same image of college: going to endless parties, being surrounded by a large group of amazing friends, and having the time of your life — all the time. Both conveniently forget to add the less-glamorous parts to the picture.

In my experience, college is much different than what I was expecting. Some of these differences are great, while others are things I would gladly go without.

For one, I thought I was ready and realistic in my expectations for the amount and difficulty of the work. Unfortunately, I was very wrong. My parents told me countless times that in college the homework never really ends. I thought I understood that, but I really didn’t and don’t think it’s possible to until you experience it firsthand. I went from most days of absolutely no homework in high school to a to-do list for each day that is never truly finished. In fact, I often end up carrying parts of it over to the next day.

So, to all you getting ready for your first semester of college this fall buckle up.Whatever you do, do not fall behind. Once you do, it’s almost impossible to catch up again. Staying on top of things will pay off more in the end than deciding to blow everything off until the last minute (damn procrastination).

When it came to making quality friends, I didn’t realize how hard it could actually be. I made many acquaintances but few truly good friends. The first few weeks, many people are transient and serve only as a way to feel less alone while adjusting to being away from home. Hopefully, when this period of latching on to almost everyone you talk to ends you find yourself with a few close friends to continue getting to know.

Even with these new friends, you will still feel lonely. Nobody prepares you or gives you any reason to expect this.

There are nights when you will find yourself sitting in your tiny dorm room feeling lonelier than you ever have before and just wishing you could be at home with your friends and family. In the beginning, this can happen very often as you try to adjust to being away. But, even after you have made some friends and settled in, this feeling will still pop up at random times.

College often isn’t what social media and the internet make us expect it to be. Nobody wants to show the negative parts of their life, such as the struggle to adjust or the nights when loneliness is their only friend. Everyone wants to show the best parts of themselves on social media, which creates this false image of what college life is.

Although college is full of frustration and difficulty, it also has its amazing aspects.

College forces you to grow up. You may be stressing about how you will learn to live without your mom talking to adults for you and fixing all your problems but trust me—you will. You must in college, and it isn’t nearly as bad as you think it will be. Making your own doctor appointments really isn’t that horrible or scary. This confidence you suddenly find in yourself as a young adult was there all along, you just needed a push out of the shadow of your parents.

The new opportunities and things you learn will be memorable.

Force yourself outside your comfort zone, do something crazy and unexpected or learn about something you never knew existed. You cannot experience college by staying in your bubble. Get out and learn more about who you are as a person and the things that give you passion.

Go out and meet some amazing people that are nothing like you. You were probably surrounded by people coming from the same exact place as you growing up and now is the first time in your life that you have the chance to meet people that are completely different. Talk to the person from a different country or even the one from a different area of our country. See what they can teach you about the world.

Soak in every moment, even the bad ones.

College really is one of the best times of your life. It’s the last time you and some of your closest friends will all be in the same place, maybe even in the same house.

Take all the time you possibly can to grow up, because the stresses of adult life and the real world are waiting to swallow you right after you complete your degree.