Surprise! You're in college!

(ARA) - "I never knew living with a roommate was so hard."

"I can't believe the amount of reading required for just one class."

"I didn't know what the Freshman 20 was until I gained 20 pounds."

No matter how hard or how long you plan for college, it's filled with surprises, from dorm conflicts and academic rigors to the relationship maze and campus logistics. Students at Northwestern College in Saint Paul, Minn., share surprises they encountered to give freshmen a "heads up" on what to expect when entering the ivy-covered walls this fall.

Dorm Life

Adjusting to a roommate's music preferences, sleeping times and tastes in décor was a surprise to Emily Carlson, a communication major. "I was an only child used to my own room, so it was a challenge adjusting to roommates."

"At first it felt like being at summer camp," recalls Kristy Lindquist, a cross-cultural ministry major. "Eventually one becomes accustomed to it, after growing from both good and bad experiences."

At the beginning of her freshman year, Amber White, a music major, thought she'd get close to one roommate in particular, but it wasn't the case. "I thought I'd get along better with my roommates, but overall the friends I made in the first weeks were not the friends I actually kept."

The housekeeping aspects of the sexes surprised senior Ben Hemmila, president of the Northwestern Student Association. "Guys dorms smell bad no matter what happens! Girls dorms are generally messier than guys, but smell better."

Courtesy of ARA Content

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Academics | Relationships | Logistics & Advice