What It's REALLY Like to Live at College

Moving away from home for the first time can be both very exciting and extremely nerve-racking. How can you be expected to take care of yourself when all your life you've had someone to do your laundry and put your pizza rolls in the oven? Moving away is a great thing, and I highly suggest you choose to live on campus as opposed to commuting, if you can. But that doesn't mean it's all sunshine and rainbows. So here's the truth about what it's like to live at school.

1) Unless you're going to UMASS Amherst, the food is going to suck.

The food at my school is pretty terrible, and not a day goes by where I don't dream of homemade tacos, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes (not necessarily in one meal). You will get sick of the food at school, and that's normal.

TIP: Treat yourself every few weeks by ordering something via UberEats or having pizza delivered.

2) You will learn that girls can be just as gross as guys.

Having a shared restroom, I went in thinking that it would be fine because I would only be sharing it with girls. Unfortunately, this is not the case. There's always going to be that one gross girl that leaves her hair EVERYWHERE. Thankfully, university staff cleans the bathrooms every day.

TIP: If the bathrooms get really gross, talk to your RA. They'll be able to issue a warning to everyone on your floor to keep the bathrooms clean.

3) Your roommate won't necessarily be your best friend.

I got lucky with my roommate and we became best friends. However, this isn't always the case. Some of my friends have had horrendous roommate experiences and some just tolerate their roommate. You will make other friends, so don't worry if you and your roommate don't click. You just have to live with each other.

TIP: If your school lets you pick your roommates, definitely don't go random. Try to find someone with similar interests and sleeping/study habits.

4) You can take care of yourself. I promise.

I thought that I wouldn't be able to handle living without my family, but you figure it out. I never flooded the laundry room or set my microwave on fire. You're more self-sufficient than you think. You got this.

TIP: If you live close enough to home that you can come home on weekends, try to stay on campus for a couple of weekends so you can get used to it.

5) Don't even try to study in your dorm room because it won't work.

I don't know how many times I have told myself that I can study in bed, then ended up watching Gilmore Girls for four hours.

TIP: If you don't have the strength to walk to the library, use your dorm's lounge or common area to study.

6) You will not go to the gym as often as you think you will.

My fitness center, while great, is a 15-minute walk from my dorm, which is torture in the winter. You can say that you'll go five times a week, but in reality, schoolwork and pure laziness will get in the way.

TIP: See if your fitness center offers free group classes or personal training that will help motivate you to workout more often.

7) Frat parties aren't like how they are in the movies.

They're gross and filled with drunk guys that will spill beer all over you. Also, any shoes you wear for a night out will be ruined by the morning. Enjoy a party every now and then, but there's nothing wrong with staying in and hanging out with friends. There's no pressure to get blackout drunk every weekend.

8) YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT TIME!

ENJOY COLLEGE AND CHASE EVERY OPPORTUNITY!