What to Expect When you Get to College By Joseph Merante In college, you don’t just go to school, it’s your life. You eat, sleep, and shower there. You take classes there. You hang out there. It’s like a student Survivor — but with homework. Be prepared, so you don’t get voted off the island. 1. Mo time, mo work It’s like Biggie said about mo money, mo problems. Since you have more time, your professors are going to give you more work. You can handle it, but you’ll need organization, self-discipline, and a crap-ton of sticky notes. 2. You’re the boss Your schedule is totally in your control. You can take advantage of that by kicking butt on your grades and making your parents proud. Or you can fall asleep binge-watching the entire series of Breaking Bad and miss all your classes. Since college isn’t free, you better go with option A. 3. Yes new friends Drake may not want new friends, but in college, most of your friends will be new. It may be scary not to know anyone at first, but be patient and nice, and you’ll have a squad before you know it. 4. You can be whoever you want Since most people in college won’t know you, you can be whoever you want. That doesn’t mean you should grow a mustache and use a fake accent, but it does mean you get to start fresh. So before you get to college, think about what the best version of yourself would be like, and be it! 5. You can eat whatever you want You don’t have your mom mediating your meals anymore, so exercise self-control and basic intelligence. Too much of anything is bad, variety is good, and the plates are small for a reason. 6. You may not be the best at everything Whatever high school was like, chances are the competition in college will be tougher. Take it as a challenge to push your boundaries. But don’t be disappointed if you don’t always win. The important thing is to keep trying your best. 7. You’ll get homesick As exciting and fun as college will be, eventually you’ll miss your old friends and family. So make the most of the time you have left. Hug your parents more, hang out with your friends, and do all the things you’ve always wanted, but never got around to. And don’t worry, you’ll still have plenty of opportunity to get sick of home during breaks. College is amazing, but expensive. Use our Scholarship Match to search and apply for scholarships every month while you’re in school. About the author Joseph is our 2016 Make Me Laugh Scholarship winner. He attends Allegheny College, is majoring in English, and loves ultimate Frisbee, Ryan Reynolds, and memes.