10 Things That You Thought You Knew Before Going To College

because college is an emotional, physical, and mental roller coaster of overwhelming tasks that you don't quite understand but you go along with because adulthood.

1. You thought you knew how to manage your priorities.

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Oh, you are in for a rude awakening. However, I have some good news. It's okay that you accidentally missed that Campus Activities Team meeting, or that Honors Assembly. It's definitely okay if you forget about a quiz, or you turn in an assignment late. These small hiccups do not define you as a student, because you're only human. You are not damned; tomorrow will come, regardless. So take a deep breath, or a few hundred, and continue to move forward.

2. You thought that you had your anxiety under control (or maybe you told yourself you did, even though it was obvious you didn't).

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We are all guilty of saying, "I'm okay," when nothing about your life was okay. And I'm here to tell you that that's okay. Of course you worry about what your hair looks like; of course you worry about looking silly in your glasses; of course that girl or boy looked at you weird because they hate you and are patiently awaiting your ultimate demise. You are normal, and you are the most normal adultager or teenult (adult + teenager) ever to live. The fact is, anxiety will never go away. So it's best to take those anxieties under advisement, and move on (and maybe seek professional help if your hair is falling out).

3. You thought you appreciated everything your parents (or family, for that matter) have done for you.

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Maybe you haven't taken your 'rents for granted, but I doubt it. They raised you into the beautiful, strong human you are. They put you on this Earth for one purpose, and one purpose only: to love you unconditionally, and to make sure you are nourished into your own superhero. They risked it all for you, and worked so hard to give you as good of a life as possible in their unique circumstance. Your family, of all people, know you are going to make it, and you need to thank them today, and every day following.

4. You thought you could manage your own bank account or money in a healthy way

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Working part-time for minimum wage as a college student is the definition of broke. Raise your hand if you have ever felt personally victimized with your own bank account that currently houses $8.32. No one expects you to be financially stable. Though some are more "well off" than others, we are all students who are trying to make it to our next big purchase. So what if you're surrounded with people who own Porsches and use 100 dollar bills as tissues. Be grateful for what you have in the moment, and cherish it. You will soon learn that money ≠ happiness.

5. You thought you could handle tough situations with ease, like an adult.

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It is silly to think that once you become an "adult", the sticky situations stop existing, and life is good. I think us "youngsters" have a seriously misconstrued vision of what an adult is. Adults don't have all the answers, though they have experience and advice. They certainly do not know the key to wiggling out of an unpleasant situation, no sir. Like all arguments, it never feels good to have your social equilibrium in an off position. Understanding that it is okay to feel "socially awkward" when it comes to not wanting to confront your problems is okay. The cold truth is, is that you will always have to put your face to the brunt of the storm, no matter how unpleasant. But I can promise that you will get out alive, with minor bumps and bruises.

6. You thought you knew everything about love and relationships, which, let's face it, were you ever really sure what a relationship was?

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Our friend here is right; sometimes it would be easier to like a rock in the forest, who has no emotions or feelings or needs. Reality of a teenult says otherwise, as we are forced into a wind-tunnel of miscommunication, hormones, and a lot of mind games. And sometimes, if that concoction is just right, you find your way into love, or even out of love. But what is important is that you realize that having a boyfriend or girlfriend doesn't define you. And no matter what, you'll always have your heart broken at least once. Take it with a grain of salt, and realize that the sun will rise, and you'll be okay.

7. You thought being your own person would be simple, and you'd have no trouble finding your 'niche' in life.

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You're going to meet people who help you, and people who hurt you. You will meet people who have a great effect on you, who believe in you and all that you do, but most of the time, your peers will bring you down. You will try new things, and you'll fail sometimes. You'll often feel overwhelmed, and find yourself asking, "Who am I, and what is my purpose?" The simple answer, is you don't have to know. As long as you're doing what you want to do, and doing what you makes you happiest, then you're on the right track. Stop worrying so much about fitting in, for pete's sake. In the wise words of our generation, "You do you, boo."

8. You thought you could take your own advice.

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You've probably been faced with the option to give advice to a close friend or family member, but when we are faced with a situation to take that same advice, we shoot it down immediately. If there's one thing I've learned while growing up, it's that the advice you give to others is oftentimes advice you should take under advisement for your own self. Though it's easier said than done, you are smarter than you think, and your experiences will make you stronger. Just remember that taking your own advice is sometimes (but not all the time, cuz we cray cray) the best route.

9. You thought you knew exactly what you wanted to do with your life, in terms of career or significant other.

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Keep calm, and change accordingly. Truth be told, your major might change three-to-four times in college. Your dreams will change hundreds of times. People will change. You will change. It's never the end of the world when someone walks out of your life. It was probably for the best anyways. No matter the drastic change, there's nothing we can do, except for embrace the beauty of change in each of our lives. Panicking is normal; what will you do when you graduate? Where will you go? Where will you live? Who will you marry? It's all normal, and it will all work itself out in time. Trust your fate, and roll with the punches.

10. You thought that life would get easier, and that the pressures of life would subside.

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We think this silly thought, simply because we are human, and it makes life much easier to live. Of course, we all want life to become easier, but the cold truth is that it gets much harder. We are faced with more and more decisions, all of which could be life-altering (no pressure). However, that isn't meant to scare you. It just means that you're growing up, and with that growth, comes knowledge, and with that new knowledge comes larger responsibilities. You have the ability to change things about your life that are making you unhappy. How lovely is it that we have so much control over our happiness?! When the pressures of life feel heavy, it's easy to be optimistic, and think that tomorrow will be better, because it will be. We just have to truly convince ourselves of that first.

11. Bottom line is, it's all gonna work out.

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AND YOU ARE AMAZING.