The first year of college life poses many challenges, even with the promise of more personal freedom and room to grow as a person. There are a lot of problems to consider, such as living with a roommate in a tiny dorm room, adjusting to college classes and a heavy workload and trying to stick to a reasonable sleep schedule.

For first-years, there is a lot of expectation; the National Center for Education statistic predicts that 19.9 million students will attend college this fall. The Class of 2022 numbers 390 as of Fall 2018 and includes young people from a variety of backgrounds, majors and future professions. While a small part of a larger student demographic, the Etown first-years are by no means insignificant.

Statistics and stories tell future college student that they will have a lot on their plate; expensive text books, wild nights and incredible freedom seem to be the tales they are told. A student doing their research on “college life” has a lot of data to look at. Yet, how much of it is accurate to the actual experience?

First-year students this year were quick to learn that expectation and reality are two very different things. In personal interviews, students answered the question of how their college experience has so far been different from the picture of college life painted for them in high school:

Emma Knight: What is one thing you miss about being home?

Livia Marga: I miss being a part of the family and my siblings. In my house, I had a role to play. When my parents worked, I was my siblings’ caretaker for the whole day. I looked forward to getting them off the bus, doing homework and eating dinner together. When it came to homework, school projects or school advice, I helped them. They are a big part of who I am today. Not being home makes me feel like I disrupted the family dynamic, and I feel bad for not being there when I feel like I should be. And I love being that person for my family. I miss the lovely chaos of living with ten-year-old twins and the silly moments we have.

EK: How are college classes different from high school classes?

Nicholas Hartz: From what I’ve realized thus far, it seems as though high school classes certainly have more structure and make the students more aware of what is coming up and when things are due. When you go to college, you are given much more responsibility, and it is up to you to manage your classes and schedule time to complete assignments and study for exams. If you end up failing the class, it is not the teacher’s fault like in high school. It is your fault and yours alone. In terms of the classes, most of my college classes are much more lecture and discussion-based than in high school. Lastly, college professors are much better than high school teachers.

EK: What’s the hardest part about living with a roommate?

Katherine Greene: Sharing my personal space with someone else for the first time ever is very different for me.

EK: What is one thing you were told about college that isn’t true?

Makenna Piper: That homework would be easier since you have more time to do it. That was a big lie.

EK: What is the hardest part about living in a dorm?

Christina Schnee: The lack of personal privacy, to an extent. You share bathrooms with several people, and you live with a roommate, so finding alone time can be difficult sometimes.

EK: What is the reality of college dining compared to what you were told during the college selection process?

Katlin Shatzer: College dining is definitely different compared to what they advertise. Some days, the meals are underwhelming, and even though it seems like you always have a lot of choices when you visit colleges, after being at college, it can feel repetitive and like you have nothing to choose from.

EK: How much homework do you have compared to high school?

Alexander Russo: Pretty much the same. I took a lot of AP classes in high school, so it’s not too much different for me.

EK: What is the hardest part about being away from home?

Hugh Brolly: I do miss my family a lot, even though I do like having the freedom to do things in college that I might not be able to do otherwise.

EK: Is the college party scene all that it’s hyped up to be?

Joshua Koch: No, considering that I haven’t even been invited or gone to a college party yet. Most of the time it’s just hanging out with your friends.

EK: What are your social interactions like compared to high school?

Ryan Osterlind: I mean, you hang out with your friends a lot since we live at the same place and do a lot of stuff together. We eat lunch and dinner together for the most part, too, so you’re basically always with someone.

These first-years’ responses show that the struggle to adjust to college life is hard because of issues like class structure, missing home, and sharing a living space with a relative stranger. All of these issues make the college transition difficult and stressful, especially since parents are often a long way away and are not there all the time.

People talk about the college experience all the time, many claiming it to be the best time of their lives.

In many cases, though, the college expectations of always having fun and hanging out with friends or partying all weekend are more often than not false anticipations.

It is hard to find a balance between work and personal life, even for upper classmen. First-year students have the added stress of adjusting to a new life without having the understanding of a real college experience. However, college can be an exciting time; so, welcome to the class of 2022!