What's the first image that pops into your head when someone mentions the word college? Some envision images of wild and out-of-control fraternity parties. Some may picture college students pulling all-nighters in order to complete insane amounts of work. Others may imagine grand sporting events, cheerleaders, and tailgating. Whether as a child looking into the future, a current college student, or an older person reflecting back on their college years, we all know what college is like...or do we? Our perception about college has likely been influenced in some part by popular culture, and therefore probably contains a few misconceptions and inaccuracies. Let's discuss some of these myths about college and determine their plausibility.

1. College is a place where you can reinvent yourself.

One of the most common myths about college is that you're given a fresh start, a new beginning, a do-over. Many people assume that college gives you a chance to change who you are and present yourself in a new way. I mean, who wouldn't be enticed by the idea that you can present yourself in a completely different light, especially if you weren't satisfied by your image in high school? The bookworm could ease up a little and choose to go out with friends and have more of a social life, the introverted and soft-spoken people could force themselves to go out and make new friends, eager to break free of their timid shells, and even the football jock could go and play the sport he truly loves, tennis. But is this allure of reinventing yourself possible or merely a fantasy?

Changing yourself doesn't seem to be too hard in theory, but in reality it's probably more difficult than you think. When you've been acting a certain way for such a long period of time (i.e. throughout high school), the way you act becomes a part of your personality and integrates itself into your nature. And since you're so used to doing something or talking a certain way, modifying it requires you to actively concentrate on forcing yourself not to revert to your old habits, which for some may prove to be too daunting a task simply for the sheer self-control needed. That being said, it is not impossible, and I know a few people, including myself, who can say they are not the same person they were in high school. For the bookworm, all it takes is a simple reply saying "yes," when someone asks them if they want to hang out that night. For the introverts, they just need to thrust themselves into a group of people and introduce themselves to as many people as possible, because chances are you'll hit it off with someone. For the football jock, it means telling your old high school teammates that football simply wasn't for you and your interests have changed and now you enjoy playing a different sport. As mentioned, this seems to be relatively simple in theory but is definitely easier said than done.

Verdict:

2. Most students know what they want to do in life.

Another common preconception about college is that you need to know what you want to do in your life and what career path you want to follow ASAP. The fact of the matter is that you don't need to know what you want to study right away, and the majority of students enter college with an undecided major. Once in college, you can take a variety of courses to see what piques your interest, and you do not have to even declare a major until the spring semester of your sophomore year, which gives you ample time to explore your options and discover where your true passion lies. Even after declaring a major, if you determine you made the wrong choice and do not wish to study that subject area anymore, you still are not out of luck! Changing majors is usually as simple as scheduling an appointment with your advisor and discussing your options and what you wish to pursue instead.

Students' interests are constantly changing because we experience new things that evolve and modify our view of the world, and colleges understand this tendency to change. That also explains why Princeton University's Dean of Admissions Janet Rapelye stated that approximately 70 percent of students change their major at least once! I can attest to this as well; for a long time in high school, I desired to become a neurosurgeon and even took AP Biology in my junior year to enhance my understanding of this subject. While I loved the class and my teacher, by the end of that year, my interests had shifted and I no longer desired to become a neurosurgeon. The exact reason why still eludes me, but I assume it probably has something to do with the intense training and time required in order to become a practicing neurosurgeon, and the tuition bills associated with all those years was an extreme turnoff. Throughout my senior year I decided I wanted to go into the field of finance, and now in college, my interests are once again evolving, and now I desire to be a corporate lawyer. There is no penalty for changing what you are passionate about, so don't feel as if you are compelled to immediately select a career path and stick to it throughout your time at college.

Verdict:

3. You're going to spend most of your time partying and chilling with friends because there are no parents.

Ah college. You're finally away from your parents and you can just smell your newly discovered freedom and independence. The allure of living on your own is so exciting you don't know what to do first. Go out to as many parties as possible? Stay in bed all day and binge watch Netflix? Stuff your face in the dining hall? There are endless things you can do!!!

This novelty feeling of independence is only going to last a couple weeks at most, trust me. Syllabus week is all fun and games because there's not really any work, so you can do pretty much anything you want after class, but that changes rapidly. One day you're going to find yourself out with friends until 3:00 a.m. enjoying yourself, but once that college work hits you 0 to 100 real quick, you'll find yourself in the library until 3:00 a.m. instead. Sure, there's no denying that living on your own is extremely enticing with all the freedom and ability to do anything you want whenever you want, but reality ultimately sets in. You quickly learn that you cannot spend all of your free time between classes napping and that you actually need to do something productive during that empty chunk of your schedule. Be it finishing a homework assignment or studying for an exam or even doing laundry, you will definitely find something to keep you busy. They say college is when students learn to live and act like adults, and discovering that you need to refine your time management skills is definitely one of the ways you start feeling like an adult. Now, this is not to say that you won't ever go to parties or hang out with friends; there will be plenty of time for that. You will just learn that sometimes school will take priority over a night out because you'll realize you can't weasel your way through an assignment like you did back in high school. College professors are, for the most part, much less lenient with late work compared to that English teacher in high school who would smile all the time and allow you to hand in assignments late (usually without a penalty).

Verdict:

4. College is going to be one of the best experiences of your life.

We've all seen the popular movies that depict just how awesome college life is: "22 Jump Street," "Pitch Perfect," "Legally Blonde," "The Social Network," "Good Will Hunting," or even "Monsters University." Each of these films shows the characters having the time of their lives in college, making memories and relationships that are sure to last a lifetime. There are so many opportunities and activities for one to explore in college, it is nearly impossible for you to not discover something that entices you. From the hundreds of clubs to countless school events to making new friends, you're bound to come across some aspect of college that will bring you feelings of elation and content.

So, take a deep breath and relax for a second. Enjoy the moment you're living in and appreciate everything that's happening. If you have any regrets whatsoever, go out and make sure that regret—whatever it may be—is erased once and for all. Make memories that will stand the test of time, go on adventures that will make for the perfect bedtime stories for your children, and take advantage of all that college life has to offer. You may never get a chance to enjoy yourself like this again, so fully appreciate what you have in this very moment.

Verdict: