by Zainab Boladale and Hayley Halpin

Your first year in college; it’s something you’ve probably been thinking about for years and a dream that kept you going through the torturous final months of the Leaving Cert. You’ve watched 22 Jump Street, you just KNOW it’s all parties, fun and vodka-fueled shenanigans…

When you get to college, however, you realize there’s a little more to it than that…

(1)Expectations: On the first day of college you think you will form close bonds with all the like-minded people in your course.

Reality: Everyone is too nervous to talk to each other. Being the first one to start a conversation is just too awkward.

(2)Expectations: Now that you’re a college student you must live the college lifestyle that involves going out every single night with all your cool new friends.

Reality: You’ll never be able to go out because you’re poor and so are all your cool new friends!

(3)Expectations: You’re convinced that you will be able to attend all lectures even on days you’re hungover from drinking Tesco value vodka!

Reality: Lets face it you’re too hungover for college and you convince yourself you’ll make up for it by doing extra readings.

(4)Expectations: Your course will be fun, easy and you’ll learn lots of cool and interesting things.

Reality: You feel like an idiot because you understand nothing. You feel confused, stupid and overwhelmed.

(5)Expectations: You think that you’ll be able to eat junk food but also maintain a healthy diet.

Reality:You eat anything and everything that crosses your path and find that you are gaining weight in all the wrong places.

(5)Expectations: Being interested in your course means you’ll be really good at it.

Reality: Everyone seems to already have a genius degree in your course and you’re light years behind.

6)Expectations: You will be determined to be on time with all your assignment and be up to date with all your readings.

Reality: After the first assignment and the first reading it all goes downhill.