1. Your dorm room
What you expect:
Thanks to Pinterest, the ideal dorm room has beautiful twinkling lights, tons of room for activities and cute matching decor you bought with your new BFF roomie.
What you actually get:
Take a shoebox, divide it by two, and you have your average college dorm room. Not only is it small, outdated and probably smells like old gym socks, it’s shared with another person who you likely have nothing in common with and will end up detesting by the end of the year.
2. Dating
What you expect:
Sophisticated, mature, ideally a Pre-Med/Law student and loves his mom. Probably the perfect combination of preppy and indie. We all have this perfect idea of what dating “college boys” will be like, with random romantic gestures and surprise dates, because that’s what love is, obviously.
What you actually get:
As the social media world has been known to call them, most freshman boys in college are your typical “F$%# Boy.” Random hookups are their game, they are most definitely not “looking for a relationship” and will probably hit on your best friend. Not all college boys are like this, of course; you just have to wade through the mess.
3. Frat parties
What you expect:
Hot guys, free booze, movie-moment flirting, red solo cups and, of course, someone jumping off the roof into the pool to top it all off. Basically, Project X in real life.
What you actually get:
Vomit as far as the eye can see. In every corner, crevice, potted plant and purse, someone has thrown up everything but their dreams. While frat parties can be fun, they’re basically just a giant breeding ground for the overly intoxicated.
4. Independence
What you expect:
Nobody can tell you when to go to bed, what to eat or how long you can stay out. The world is your oyster, and you will do nothing but prosper!
What you actually get:
After your first all-nighter writing a paper you procrastinated the entire semester, you’ll realize that sometimes having a little structure (AKA your parents) reminding you what’s good for you isn’t the worst thing in the world. (Plus, eating whatever you want, whenever you want WILL lead to the notorious Freshman 15. Enjoy the pizza for breakfast.)
5. Going to the Library
What you expect:
Of course you go to the library to study. What else is it for?
What you actually get:
Basically absolutely anything BUT studying.
6. Your major
What you expect:
“What’s your major?” “Oh, I’m deciding between bio-chem and neuroscience.”
What actually happens:
“Hey, how’s pre-med going?” “Yeaaaah, I switched to business.”
7. Getting FAFSA
What you expect:
“LOOK AT THIS MONEY! I’ll surely be fine until next semester!”
What actually happens:
*a month into the semester*
8. Homework
What you expect:
“Man, I’m going to be such a good student! I’m going to go to ALL my classes and make sure I do all my homework every single day!”
What actually happens:
Teacher: “Did you do your assigned reading?” Me: LOL
9. Dining hall food
What you expect:
What you actually get:
“Oh, yay… Cardboard pizza again.”