My freshman year: Expectations vs. reality

Growing up, we’ve all heard, “college will be the best four years of your life”, and have seen TV shows and movies that portray college as an adult Disney World. So, going into my freshman year, I had pretty high expectations for the next four years of my life.

I was ready to escape my hometown and live an adventurous, independent lifestyle, in which I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, and not have to follow anyone’s rules. Little did I know that my college fantasies would differ greatly from my reality. Here’s what I’ve learned in college in just my first semester.

Classes

Expectation: My schedule is going to have so many fun, easy classes and electives, like Dance Appreciation and Dinosaurs. I’ll barely have to do any homework or have to study for any exams, and I’ll have so much free time to nap, go to the gym, and binge watch Netflix.

Reality: My schedule will revolve around fulfilling core requirements, taking several intro courses, and enrolling in the classes that haven’t filled up yet. I’ll be lucky if I don’t have any Friday classes, and if I don’t max out my credit card from all of the late night Starbucks runs and textbooks I have to buy.

Dorms

Expectation: This is my new home, and everyone who lives here will become my family. We’ll all go out to dinner together, take classes together, and watch TV in the lounge together. Since we’re living here for the next year, we’ll make the dorm cozy and welcoming, and treat it with respect. And communal bathrooms won’t be so bad.

Reality: My dorm room is the size of a closet, and I consider myself lucky if I can find an available shower that has hot water, with an unclogged drain. I barely know half of the people who live in the entire dorm, and can’t even remember the last time I was in the main lounge. We also have ugly ceilings, broken heaters, holes in the walls, and broken water fountains.

Parties

Expectation: I’m going to go to every party on campus, and not spend a single weekend in. The party will be filled with plenty of hot guys to dance with and an endless flow of drinks. And I’ll finally do a keg stand.

Reality: After a long week of classes and late-night cramming, it’s a struggle to leave my warm, comfortable bed and enter the below-freezing New Brunswick night. And once I finally motivate myself enough to go to a party, I find myself surrounded by girls in an overcrowded, sweat-filled basement, spilling the majority of their drinks onto my shoes. I barely have room to dance, let alone breathe, and it’s always a challenge to find a drink.

Boys

Expectation: In college, boys will finally mature into men. They will finally have their priorities in order and treat us with the respect that we deserve. And I’ll have a boyfriend by the end of my first semester.

Reality: Is it possible for boys to get more stupid as they age? They’re just as immature as they were in high school, with a much higher sex drive.

Buses

Expectation: A bus at Rutgers typically comes every five minutes, so it shouldn’t be a problem finding a seat and getting to class on time.

Reality: With a student population of nearly fifty thousand, one bus running every five minutes doesn’t suffice. I’m usually bumping into people as the bus drives on Route 18. And whether it’s from the traffic on Route 18 or the bus driver taking a break for what seems like an eternity, I always find myself praying that I will get to my destination on time and in one piece.

Dining hall food

Expectation: There will be a pizza bar, burger bar, ice cream bar, salad bar, cereal bar, made-to-order lines, plus takeout. How will I ever get bored and run out of things to eat?

Reality: Just because the dining hall has a lot of options, doesn’t mean it’s good or tasty. I get why the Freshman 15 exists, which is why I usually opt for a salad.

Roommate

Expectation: My roommate and I will be automatic best friends. We’ll do everything together and stay up late to share deep thoughts and secrets.

Reality: My roommate and I barely see each other, and only hung out in the first few days of college until we both found our own group of friends.

 Living alone

Expectation: I have the freedom to do anything I want, whenever I want. I no longer have to follow and listen to my parents’ rules, and can finally be a mature adult.

Reality: I don’t know how to cook, clean, or do laundry. I’m usually on the phone with my mom asking for help, advice, and validation on my life choices. I usually wait until I run out of clean underwear before going home for the weekend and having my mom do my laundry for me. I mean, I’m only eighteen, I’m clueless and need my mom.

Sure, my freshman year expectations aren’t exactly my reality, but I love college and wouldn’t have it any other way.