Edited By Priyal Mittal
If, like me, you also grew up watching movies like Mean Girls or Student of the Year, you might think your college life will be non-stop adventures, parties, and finding your true love in the canteen. But what’s the reality? Time to set the record straight by taking a closer look at a few of the biggest college clichés from the movies and how they stack up against real life.
Myth #1 Endless parties, all day every day
In every college movie, students always seem to be at one party after the other with loud music, questionable beverages in red cups, and no mention of classes or exams. Everyone seems to be having the time of their lives with their only concern being what they are going to dress up as at the next halloween party.
Parties do happen, but they are not the centre of everything, and definitely not an everyday affair! And don’t even get me started on the awkwardness of a failed party- if you show up too early, you might just be one of the three people standing while someone else tries to find a playlist. And let’s not forget the worst part- As your alarm blares you are forced to drag yourself out of bed with a pounding headache and fuzzy memories of the night before, trying to contemplate whether you can make your 8:30 am lecture. Spoiler alert: Coffee can only do so much! Most of us quickly realise that between classes, assignments, extracurriculars and the occasional need to sleep, we are honestly lucky to just be able to afford one Thursday night.
Myth #2 The magical study montage
Often compressed into a 2 minute upbeat montage for a music video, the main character realises they have an exam and magically goes from clueless to top of the class with just a few hours of work. There’s fast forwarded writing, piles of notes, and before you know it, they come out with a degree.
Those 2 minutes translate into days and nights in the library, rereading lecture slides, and trying to get your friends to solve your doubts. The ‘study life’ is more of 2AM study sessions fueled by cheap coffee and stress induced tears, and that all nighter montage is most likely going to end with you struggling to make it to your 8:30 lecture. And as for those really smart study groups, they often start strong but eventually turn into a chaotic mess with everyone drifting off-topic or an hour long snack break.
Myth #3 The ‘meet cute’ leads to a perfect romance
Whether it’s the classic ‘bumping into each other’ and coffee spilling or notebooks getting dropped, or getting paired for a project and instantly falling in love, these love stories play out perfectly on screen. There are candle-light dates, grand promposals, and heart-to-heart rooftop conversations that change the characters’ lives.
Real life college romance is a lot messier. ‘Meeting someone’ usually involves weeks of awkward texting, attempting to decode mixed signals, and dealing with the random “You up?” message. And meeting someone at a college party? Forget the slow motion eye contact; you’ll probably be forcibly introduced, shout your name over the loud music and exchange socials, only to realise you have no idea who they are the next morning. Storybook romance is the exception, not the norm.
Myth #4 The perfect college squad
Within the first week of college, everyone seems to have sorted the friend group- a perfectly diverse group of people who complement each other in every way. There’s the athlete, the artist, the party animal- and they seem to be doing everything together, be it random road trips or synchronised halloween costumes.
Real college friendships are great but a lot more casual. During the first few weeks, you might be talking to tons of people, adding contacts you barely remember, and tagging along to events. But real, close friendships develop over time as you share more experiences and actually get to know each other. You might have your go-to study buddy, your club friend you only see at meetings, and your roommate who you bond with over mutual exam stress.
Myth #5 Glamorous dorm rooms
Movie dorms are ridiculously spacious, perfectly organised, and somehow immaculate despite being shared by multiple people. There’s a window with a view, a private bathroom, and the main character somehow has a pinterest-worthy setup straight out of a home décor catalogue.
Real dorm rooms are…small. Like, ‘squeeze past your roommate without knocking over a pile of books’ small. Most students have to work with a tiny shared space, with closets that can barely hold any clothes. Speaking from experience, any dorm room glow-up takes some serious creativity and an elaborate pinterest board. Dorms rarely have personal bathrooms, and sometimes it’s a task just to keep things clean and functional.
Conclusion: Real college is better, because it’s real
Sure, movies paint a glamorous dramatic picture, but the real version is far more…well, real. The actual college experience has its own charm- midnight tuck shop run, group project meltdowns and intense fights over washing machines. So the next time a college movie tempts you with wild parties and perfect meet cutes, remember: real college is less ‘High School Musical’ and more “Hey, is that my charger?” But in the end, it is the unplanned, messy moments that make college memorable, and if it’s not movie worthy, it’s definitely meme-worthy. And that’s way better, right? Because while college life may not be a blockbuster film, it’s your own story- one that is always worth a rewatch.