As a child who attended various summer camps, the game “Two Truths and a Lie” was as inevitable as campfires and marshmallows. If you are unfamiliar with the game (but really, who hasn’t played it?), it is a campfire activity which consists of telling three things about oneself, and having other people try and guess which one of them isn’t true. When I began first year at Queen’s University, I felt kind of like I was back at summer camp again- and not just because of the shared bathrooms and sleepovers. As a frosh, there was so much to take in! The living situation, the food, the friends, the partying and school seemed very overwhelming at times. It appeared as if everyone had some sort of advice to give me about this thing or that, and I had no idea how to sort through it. I knew that not everything could be true…so after a year of trial and error, I have compiled and debunked some of the most common myths of university so that you can worry a little less and enjoy a little more.
1. Myth: All Guys are Looking for One-Night Stands
Attention all die-hard believers that think men in a college town are only after one thing…you’re wrong! At first glance, it may seem that all the guys you meet at university are either looking for a one-night stand or already have girlfriends (sigh!). However, this is not the case. There are a good number of men around Queen’s who are interested in something more from a female companion than just a hook up. Remember to change up your scenery every once in a while for fresh exposure to guys. If you only frequent keggers when you’re on the hunt, you’re probably going to meet drunken boys looking for a good time. Don’t be afraid to try out the cliché coffee shop, or even the library for a nice guy…who doesn’t love an adorable nerd!
2. Myth: University is Way Harder than High School
This is true, but just to an extent. Think back to grade 9. Remember how all the classes were different, how you couldn’t find your classroom, and all the seniors got mad when you stood in the hallway? University is sort of like that, just on a bigger scale. Mom and Dad aren’t around to babysit anymore, you get lost on campus, and your assignments just magically appear on moodle without any reminders from Profs. The point is, it’s an adjustment. Yes, University is hard. But so was high school, and you managed to survive that just fine. Give it some time and soon you’ll know all the secrets to University and might be able to walk around like you actually know what you’re doing.
3. Myth: Everything You Think/Want to Happen Will Happen
So maybe you’re that Type-A person who believes that they have every single little detail about their University career planned out, from extracurriculars to your ideal post-graduate school. News Flash: Nothing in life ever goes according to plan. And that’s okay. In fact, that may be the most beautiful thing about University. You learn to struggle, and you figure everything out in the end. So if you’re a person studying art history and decide that chemical engineering is your true calling, go for it! These are the years in which you are supposed to change your mind and make mistakes…and you may just find yourself and your niche along the way.
4. Myth: Everyone in University is a Serious Student
Legally Blonde lied to us. University is not just the land of serious and boring people. Everyone certainly attends University to learn- some people come to get a biology major, some come to study English, and some come to learn how to build a throne out of beer cans. Get rid of the idea that everyone is going to be a good student. Just because you’re in school for the first time by choice (and paying for it!) won’t automatically change bad students into good ones. You will always see that one guy sleeping in class every lecture. There will always be that girl who does all her online shopping in tutorial, and the group of guys in the back corner playing video games will always be there. Just because you’re all adults now does not mean that everyone has grown up just yet.