When we think of college, we usually think of the stereotypes we have seen throughout life. Some are true, some are false. We usually tend to have expectations that end up being totally different compared to when we experience them ourselves. We think our college experience will be like Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, or Lara Jean in To All the Boys I Loved Before, but this may not be the case for everyone. Let’s crackdown on some of the common college cliches we usually see in rom-coms and talk about how realistic they really are!
1. You have to party every night.
This is far from true. You might go into college thinking you will never catch a break from the party scene. That being said, you should not feel obligated to go out every night, and you are allowed to say no without anyone judging you. If you feel like staying in or you have a paper due the next day, then by all means just stay in. You can always go out another time. However, this doesn’t mean you should always lock yourself inside. Allow yourself to have fun. Go to a party or college bar every now and then. It’s important to balance your social and academic life.
2. It may take some time to make friends.
This may not be the case for everyone. For some people, it may take some time to put themselves out there. With social media, it has become easier to meet or talk to anyone online. Plus, joining clubs, sororities, or fraternities can help you meet a lot of new people. You may also find others with the same interests as you in your major. So try not to worry! College can be the place where you will make some of your life-long friends!
3. Everyone participates in hookup culture.
False. No matter how normalized hookup culture is in today’s generation, not everyone partakes in it; and you should not feel like you have to either. Teenage TV shows and movies give a false reality of hookups. Not everyone comes into college with hookup experience and that is totally fine.
4. College is a whole different world from high school.
I think this is one of the most accurate college cliches. In college, you have more freedom and control. You obviously have more responsibility being away from your parents, but during college you have more free time on your hands. You have gaps between classes, you don’t have to ask to use the restroom, and you can make your own schedule. At first, it may be a little hard and scary handling things on your own, but after creating a routine you can get used to, it’s a breeze.
5. College is where you discover yourself.
College is the time when you really get to know who you are. You will experience the most growth during these next four years. You will feel sadness, happiness, fear, relief, and a whole range of emotions. You will find out what is best for you and what isn’t. You may find your best friends, and you may bump heads with some of the people that you meet. There will probably be a lot of instances where you will spend time alone, and that is totally normal. It is no secret that you may encounter some challenges, but with time, everything will work out. Keep in mind that there is always someone going through something similar to you, so you are actually never alone.
Don’t always rely on the cliches or stereotypes you see in movies to define the reality of your college experience. You can be or do anything you want. Just keep going and have fun!