university life expectations vs reality essay

• / University Life and Campus: Expectations vs Reality

University Life and Campus: Expectations vs Reality

University Life

25 June, 2023

6 mins read

By Allaa Ashraf

Entering university is an exciting milestone in one's life, filled with anticipation, new experiences, and personal growth. As you prepare to embark on this journey, you often develop certain expectations about the university and campus life. However, things may not always be as you’d imagined them. University isn’t always fun and games; sometimes you have to write essays and present to people . Worry not, though, not every student has the same university experience, that’s for sure. So, just before you get too carried away, we will help you get back to earth!  

In this article, we will explore the expectations and realities of university life and campus life, providing a detailed perspective to help future university students better understand what to anticipate.

1. Independence and Freedom

Expectation : Free at last! The idea of campus life is the ultimate dream for people who have been waiting to move out. University is often seen as a gateway to newfound independence, freedom from parental supervision, and the ability to make decisions without constant guidance. You think you will only go home on holidays—Christmas, Thanksgiving, and maybe just a couple of days during the summer. 

Reality : With freedom comes responsibility. Students discover that managing their time, prioritising tasks, and staying organised are crucial for success. Balancing coursework, part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, and personal commitments can be overwhelming. The reality is that university life demands self-discipline and effective time management skills to navigate through the various responsibilities and opportunities available. 

Also, here is the deal: you’re going to miss home more than you think. You will find yourself missing the fresh, hot homemade meals, the daily talks with your parents, and even your siblings and their fights.

2. Seamless Transition and Instant Success

Expectation : Some students expect a seamless transition from high school to university, assuming that their previous successes will effortlessly translate into immediate triumphs in higher education.

Reality : The reality is that the university experience often presents new challenges and demands a growth mindset. Just because you are studying something you love doesn’t mean you will get your degree easily. There’s so much more to getting a degree than just studying what you love. 

Adapting to higher academic rigour, developing critical thinking skills, and adjusting to new teaching styles can be initially daunting. It's important to remember that personal growth and success are often the results of perseverance, resilience, and a willingness to learn from both successes and setbacks.

You will be excited about what you’re learning at university, but you might also find yourself overwhelmed with the workload. Sometimes you will focus so much time and energy on a specific subject, especially during the first semester or the first year. This can be draining and cause you to lose your passion.

3. Financial Freedom and Stability

Expectation : Many students imagine newfound financial freedom in university, with disposable income for leisure activities and personal expenses.

Reality : Now, hold on a minute! Don’t spend that money now! The reality is that university often comes with financial responsibilities. Tuition fees, accommodation costs, textbooks, and daily expenses can quickly add up. Students may need to balance part-time jobs or seek scholarships and financial aid to cover their expenses. Learning effective budgeting skills and practising financial responsibility become essential aspects of university life.

4. Hassle-Free Accommodation Life

Expectation : You won’t have any responsibilities regarding your accommodation life except paying the rent on a monthly basis, and if you choose private accommodation, it’ll all be fun and games.

Reality : As a student, you can choose between a PBSA and on-campus accommodation. Both require a different budget and a different lifestyle. Lower your expectations ; regardless of what you choose, life in a private student accommodation won’t be all fun and parties. 

Your room will need cleaning, you will have laundry, and you will have to organise a schedule for using the shared area with your flatmate. Sounds like a lot, right? We know that’s why we are telling you to think thoroughly about your choice of accommodation.

Londonist Chapter Highbury II

Starting from 545£

5. easy peasy, lemon squeezy studying and assignments.

Expectation : As we all know, you always promise yourself that this year will be different and that you’ll study hard and not waste a minute. You promise yourself that you will keep up with all the workload you have and that you’ll never leave any assignment to the last minute. We’ve all been there.

Reality : It is not impossible, but remember to give yourself room for mistakes. If, after the first week, your assignments start to pile up, it is ok. You can simply manage your time better in order not to feel overwhelmed. In addition, you can think about studying and doing assignments as an exam prep strategy to motivate you.

6. Being in the Pink of Health

Expectation : You go to university telling yourself that you’re going to eat healthily and cook for yourself. Maybe you can pull this off for the first week of your university life, or even the first month.

Reality : You find yourself so swamped with assignments and projects that you might occasionally eat junk food for a meal or two. Don’t be harsh on yourself, and maybe exercise afterwards. That’s how you stay healthy .

7. A Continuous Social Extravaganza

Expectation: Many students envision university as a constant whirlwind of parties, social gatherings, and non-stop excitement. They imagine themselves surrounded by friends, attending events, and forming lifelong connections.

Reality: We’re sorry to break it to you; we really are. While universities provide ample opportunities for socialising, the reality is that balancing social life and academics can be challenging. Students quickly realise that attending lectures, studying, completing assignments, and preparing for exams require significant time and effort. It becomes essential to strike a healthy balance between socialising and academics to make the most of the university experience.

8. Vibrant Campus Life

Expectation : Campus life is often portrayed as a vibrant community teeming with clubs, organisations, sports teams, and cultural events. Students expect a wide array of options to get involved and find their niche.

Reality : While universities offer a diverse range of extracurricular activities, the reality is that finding your niche might take time and exploration. Joining clubs, attending events, and actively engaging with the campus community can help students discover their interests and build lasting connections. It's important to remember that the university experience is not solely confined to the campus, as many students find fulfilment through off-campus activities and local communities.

9. Time for Personal Exploration and Self-Discovery

Expectation : University is often seen as a transformative period for self-discovery, where students have the time and freedom to explore their identities, values, and interests.

Reality : While university provides opportunities for personal exploration, the reality is that self-discovery is an ongoing process that extends beyond the university years. Students may find themselves questioning their beliefs, values, and goals and may encounter diverse perspectives that challenge their preconceived notions. Embracing these experiences as opportunities for growth and self-reflection can lead to a deeper understanding of oneself.

10. Always Feeling Motivated and Inspired

Expectation : Students often anticipate a constant state of motivation and inspiration, assuming that their passion for their chosen field of study will propel them effortlessly through their academic journey.

Reality : The reality is that motivation can fluctuate, and students may face periods of academic pressure, stress, or burnout. Challenging coursework, multiple deadlines, and high expectations can sometimes dampen enthusiasm. Developing resilience, seeking support from peers or academic advisors, and practising self-care strategies can help students navigate these challenges and rediscover their motivation.

And there you have it, folks! University life and campus life bring with them a mix of expectations and realities. While some expectations align with reality, others may require adjustments and a shift in perspective. 

Recognising that university life is a unique journey that varies for each individual can help students navigate the challenges and maximise the opportunities available. Embracing the realities of university life, including the need for balance, responsibility, and personal growth, can lead to a fulfilling and transformative experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. will university life be exactly like what i've seen in movies and tv shows.

While movies and TV shows often portray an exaggerated version of university life, it's important to remember that reality may differ. University life is a unique experience for each individual, and while there may be some elements of excitement and social events, it also involves academic responsibilities and personal growth.

2. How can I balance my social life with academics?

Balancing social life and academics requires effective time management and prioritisation. It's important to set realistic goals, create a study schedule, and allocate time for social activities. Additionally, engaging in extracurricular activities and joining clubs can help combine socialising with personal development.

True Liverpool

Starting from 155£

3. what should i do if i'm struggling academically.

If you're facing academic challenges, don't hesitate to seek help. Most universities offer support services such as tutoring, study groups, or academic advisors who can assist you in improving your academic performance. It's important to communicate with your professors, ask questions, and utilise available resources to overcome any difficulties.

4. How can I make the most of my university experience beyond classes?

Getting involved in campus activities is a great way to enhance your university experience. Join clubs or organisations that align with your interests, participate in community service initiatives, attend campus events, and explore opportunities for internships or research projects. Engaging in these activities will allow you to build a network, develop new skills, and make lifelong memories.

Other Blogs you May Like

Student Experience: Studying in Germany

Mar 31, 2022

By Guest Contributor

Studying in the USA: Expectation Vs Reality

Dec 28, 2021

Student Rooms: Expectations vs Reality!

Nov 11, 2019

By Ola Elwassify

A Real Rollercoaster of Confidence and Emotions: Learni ...

Mar 23, 2017

By Casita Team

University life: Expectations versus reality

Hey, Marauders! Welcome to the first post of the Mac101 blog series. Over the next two weeks, these daily blogs will highlight some unique perspectives and advice to prepare you for university life at McMaster.

Learn more about Mac101

These blogs are part of Mac101: Introduction to University Life, a collection of events, sessions and more to support your university transition.

By: Nabeelah (McMaster Graduate, Biology, Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour)

Each day of Mac101, I’ll focus on different academic areas and share my own experiences navigating university that will hopefully add to your toolkit. My hope is that after reading these blogs and attending the sessions, you feel more prepared for some of the challenges you may face during university life.

Five university realities

It’s natural to have some expectations about what university life is going to be like, and you may be surprised about the inconsistencies. Media portrayal can be inaccurate, for instance, it’s not always going to be a social scene, and other students may not have the same experience as you. Here are five common expectations and realities from my perspective.

"You’re going to find your best friends and long-lasting friendships in the first week of university."

You’re going to be meeting a ton of new people, and the reality is that you are not going to form close friendships with every single person you encounter. You may even be temporarily joining friend groups. Figuring out where you fit in can be overwhelming.

It’s important to value the quality of friendships over the quantity of friends. It takes some time and experience to find the right friends. 

Tip: Remember to put yourself out there and try to connect with those around you but do not put too much pressure on yourself if you haven’t found your close friends yet. 

"I don’t have to go to classes since the lecture slides will be posted and people skip class all the time."

You are paying several thousand dollars in tuition, so why skip class when you are paying a substantial amount of money for them? There are many reasons why students may not attend lectures, but I wouldn’t make skipping them a habit.

Lectures typically tend to be the basis for most of your assessments. They serve as a map for your assignments and exams. Your professor is the one who will be writing your evaluations.

Tip: Many professors make direct references to testable material during classes that are usually not noted in PowerPoints. 

"I won’t be able to go out and have fun."

University is all about balance. You will have chances to go out. In fact, doing so will do wonders for your mental health and social circle. What is important is to be strategic when you do decide to go out. 

If going out will interfere with your ability to complete a project or is right before an important test, prioritize your studies and stay in.

Tip: The more you can stay on top of or ahead of your workload, the more freedom you will have to be able to go out and have fun when plans do come up.  

"I need to go to parties to make friends."

Parties can be fun and can serve as a place to meet people. However, if that is not your scene, there are other opportunities to make friends. My best advice is to attend events that you know you are going to enjoy. The people you meet there will likely enjoy similar things and if you don’t find people to connect with, at least you will have fun.

However, don’t be afraid to try new things. You won’t know if you like something or not until you have given it a couple of chances, so make sure to have an open mind and find as many things you enjoy as possible.

Tip: Check out some awesome clubs you can join on campus !  

"I am going to be overwhelmed with the workload."

Scheduled class time will be drastically different from the seven hours of high school. Don’t be fooled by all the extra time, however, because this is available for you to put in additional studying time to make sure you get through assignments and have a thorough understanding of the concepts you learn that you will later be tested on.

The tradeoff is you are responsible for structuring your time and holding yourself accountable. The best way to minimize stress is to attend all your classes, take good notes and study outside of class.

Tip : If you treat the university school week like the high school week and commit the same number of hours, you will build good habits.

Signing off

I hope you were able to learn more about university life by comparing some expectations versus realities. Remember, your university experience will be unique to you, but I hope this post is helpful in clarifying some of the universal realities of university life.  

Nabeelah (she/her) is the program support assistant for the Student Success Centre’s (SSC) academic skills team. She has recently graduated from the Biology, Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour program here at McMaster University. Outside of school, she loves to play tennis, bake and hang out with friends and family. 

Student life: Expectation vs. Reality

Before entering uni, you’re sold a pretty sweet deal: a magical place where you make new friends, expand your mind, gain new experiences, and learn to become an independent, self-sufficient adult.

While the reality isn’t too far from that (hopefully), there’s a lot of trial and error before you’re able to get to that point.

So for all you who’ve yet to experience student life at university, here is a much-needed dose of reality, while for those of you who have already been in their shoes, try not to sigh over your past naïveté.

1. Student accommodation

Expectation:

Image via University of Nottingham/Flickr

Image via The Student Room

2. Waking up for morning lectures

3. class participation, 4. completing assignments.

https://twitter.com/StudentProblems/status/814539649716785152

5. Group work

Image via Shutterstock

Every group project #studentlife #studentproblems #education #teacher #groupwork #school #homework #student pic.twitter.com/lfyV8WhktC — GraphLock (@GraphLock) October 3, 2016

6. Learning to cook for yourself

"Being a #student doesn't stop me to try and #eat well: stir-fried diced beef and veggies, served…" #food #cooking #gourmet #deliciousfood pic.twitter.com/ErPxNWgFjC — Delicious_Feed (@Delicious_Feed) December 24, 2016

she tried to record herself cooking and the noodles didn’t even make it into the pot 💀 pic.twitter.com/CUSlRZkQZq — Student Problems (@CoIIegeKidProbs) December 31, 2016

7. Joining clubs and societies

I just want to sign up for all the clubs — 🌿Em🌿 (@EV943) August 10, 2016

8. Socialising

The forecast for tonight pic.twitter.com/LmUZszBkLx — introvert (@introvertsmemes) December 31, 2016

https://twitter.com/StudentProblems/status/815285177786204161

9. Rockin’ a new fashion style

https://twitter.com/College4_Christ/status/816052453980438528

10. Study time

"How's studying for finals going?" pic.twitter.com/fLfxfCX10p — College Student (@ColIegeStudent) December 14, 2016

11. Taking exams

When you don't know the answer to an exam question but you refuse to leave it blank 😂 #StudentProblems pic.twitter.com/lalifRkclg — Wisconsin Press 📰 (@WisconsinPress) December 21, 2016

12. After your student loan comes in

13. on-campus romance, 14. getting the hang of this “adulting” thing.

Credit card balance paid off, student loans paid, insurance paid, phone paid, car paid. Ah, adulting❤ — Eli (@elibrown_97) December 20, 2016

Image via Student Hut

The best thing about uni, though, is the fact that you’re not in it alone! There are hundreds of other students in the exact same boat as you, so make the most of it, and don’t forget to have fun! (Not to the point that you don’t study, of course. But you get what we mean.)

Liked this? Then you’ll love these…

17 cooking fails students should NOT emulate … (plus a cooking win!)

26 life hacks every student should master

Popular stories

Don’t like your degree anymore you can get 4 new ones in new zealand.

4 in 5 of her electrical and electronic engineering programme were male. She plans to change that.

Forget traditional Asian success — it’s time we rewrote our own definition

PODCAST: What happens when you combine two great Australian universities

College: Expectations vs. Reality

As a new school year begins, expectations run high amongst students, especially freshmen. Students begin to envision a new semester with nothing but perfect days ahead. Does college really live up to these expectations? Or are the standards too high? Social media, movies, TV shows, and all those people telling you it’ll be the best four years of your life can create very unrealistic ideas when imagining what your college experience will be like.

Yes, you will have tons of freedom and no parents present to tell you what you can and cannot do; yes, there will plenty of fun parties to go to and yes they are themed. Your time on campus will definitely be enjoyable and life changing, but you should always have a realistic approach to what it will actually be like. Here are some of the expectations about college versus the reality of what it is really like:

Expectation : Your dorm will look like it came from PINK or Pottery Barn Teen.

Reality : You will see a bed with risers to make room for the boxes of Ramen Noodles under there, with bulky, mismatched, awfully colored furniture. And, maybe a few Beyoncé posters.

Expectation : The dining hall has endless options so it’ll be so easy for me to eat healthy. What freshman 15?

Reality : When is the DH going to change chicken finger Wednesday to chicken finger Monday-Friday?

Expectation : You and your roommate will be total besties.

Reality : You’ll eat together in the dining hall every day for the first week and then find out they probably descended from the gates of Hell, keeping you up every night.

Expectation : You’ll have your own pool of sophisticated, mature college boys to choose from.

Reality : Fratty bros texting you to “Netflix and Chill?”

Expectation : Being so overwhelmed with parties that you can’t choose which one to go to. #LIT

Reality : Pre-gaming in a hot, crowded dorm room, waiting too long for an address, and showing up to the party as they are kicking people out.

Expectation : Sleeping in until noon every day. YAAASSSS.

Reality : Stumbling out of bed at 8:15 a.m. to make it to your 8:30 a.m. lecture, which you will struggle to stay awake in. The struggle is so real.

Expectation : Not having school from 7:00-3:00 p.m. means plenty of time for Netflix and my bed.

Reality : You’re living off cereal while you try to cram a semester’s worth of work into two days.

Expectation : College professors are much more laid back. No homework = endless free time.

Reality : Only two weeks into the semester and you’re pulling an all nighter at the library to get through 300 pages of reading before your class in the morning.

Expectation : Your own pool of drama free, laid back, hot college women to date.

Reality : Half-naked girls dressed in costumes, whining about the lack of Instagram love that night. Now that you know what to expect from college, you won’t have as many let downs. Whether this is your first semester in college or your fifth, you should always keep your mind open to experiencing new things and meeting new people.

IMAGE TAKEN from funnyjunk.com

Related Articles

Groundhog day deserves more love.

Every year on Feb. 2 Punxsutawney Phil gets to shine like the star that he is and tell the people if spring will come early, or if there will be six more weeks of winter.

Almost Five Years Later and I’m Saying Goodbye

Five years ago, I never would have thought I would be where I am today. Coming into college, I was convinced I was going to go to medical school and become a doctor. I was wrong. Very wrong. I learned in my first semester here that I did not have a science brain but didn’t […]

Online Classes: Why They Don’t Work

Before 2020, high schoolers, college students, and even kids in elementary school did not have a single thought of online classes. But, once the COVID-19 pandemic hit America and commenced a nation and worldwide lockdown, we were forced to adjust to a new way of learning: online classes. Unfortunately, in my opinion, I believe that […]

• Current Students

• Study with Us
• Work with Us

University Expectation vs Reality

Harry, one of our second-year students, had many expectations before starting university. find out about the reality of student life in his own words….

When people ask me why I chose to study at Newcastle, I give them two answers.

Firstly, I was impressed by the University’s reputation as a leading research institution, and secondly, I visited the city for an Open Day and a man in a market gave me a free macaroon. I thought this was probably a good indicator of how nice the Geordies are and decided to apply.

Since arriving, I’ve had a brilliant time here, getting to know both the University and the city of Newcastle. I had so many expectations prior to arriving; would I be able to keep up with the workload? Is infamous reality TV an accurate depiction of nightlife in the city?

To spare you from the nights of tossing and turning, here’s what I’ve discovered.

Expectation: living in student accommodation is weird

Reality: living in student accommodation is weird… but in a good way.

Sharing living space with lots of people you’ve never met is a rather strange thing to do. You have to quickly adapt to other people’s bizarre routines and habits, learning to coexist with them. Your flatmates will probably ‘borrow’ your shower gel and insist they didn’t, burn a whole can of beans in your favourite pan, and eat all the tortellini you lovingly prepared for yourself. And your dreamy Sunday morning lie-in? It’ll be soundtracked by your mate singing in the shower.

But, incredibly, you’ll grow to love the weirdness of student accommodation . It exists in a realm away from time itself, where hash browns are considered a healthy snack (What? Potato is a vegetable) and sleep is snatched in between lectures or curled up in front of the TV.

Student accommodation is a great way to test the waters of adulthood, without being too in at the deep end, and you’ll spend the rest of your life reminiscing about it.

Expectation: studying will be difficult

Reality: it’s a literal learning curve, but also an opportunity.

Don’t get me wrong - there’s a definite jump in content from A Levels to university. But, for the first time, you’ll be studying precisely what you’re fascinated by. You will be treated as an adult by lecturers and expected to turn up on time, but you’re also in charge of how you learn the course content.

This is an opportunity to figure out how you learn best, so make the most of it! Give this revision personality quiz a spin to find out the study technique for you.

Expectation: you’ll never speak to a lecturer

Reality: they love their subject and want to engage with you about it.

Many people presume that because lectures are so big, the lecturers won’t bother to get to know everybody on an individual basis.

There is an element of truth to this. If you hide in lectures you probably won’t make a connection with teachers. But the lecturers are there to support you and will be happy to chat after classes or during their office hours. Introduce yourself and ask questions!

Expectation: exams will be terrifying

Reality: the more time you put in, the less scary they will be.

No one actually likes exams, but the ones you prepare for will definitely be easier. This isn’t exactly a revolutionary idea; what do you mean, revision works?! Until I came to university, I was definitely more of a cram-the-night-before kind of guy. That strategy simply won’t work at university, when you’ve got 12 weeks of content to learn back to front and inside out. Check out these exam revision tips for some helpful advice on structuring your study sessions.

My advice? Revise as you go along, take comprehensive notes, and make the most of your lecturers. As I said before, they are there to help. If you are struggling to understand something, book a chat with them as soon as you can - they probably won’t reply to your emails at 3am the morning before the exam!

Expectation: Newcastle… that’s the one with Geordie Shore, right?

Reality: newcastle is beautiful, historic, cultural and coastal.

There is so much more to our city than nights out – although when life is back to normal, they take some beating. Having only visited Newcastle once for the Open Day, I spent my first year getting to know the city; wandering the architecturally incredible Grey Street, exploring the seaside by Metro, dodging the cows in Leazes Park, and spending warm Sundays perusing the stalls at the Quayside Market.

There are so many great events going on (many of which you can find through the Newcastle University social media channels) that you’ll never be bored!

I hope hearing about my university expectations vs reality has helped you prepare for life at Newcastle University. If you have any other questions, don’t forget you can drop our Unibuddies a message via the Unibuddy app !

Published By Harry on 15/01/2020 | Last Updated 01/02/2024

Related Articles

Why is English important for international students?

If you want to study at a UK university, knowledge of English is essential. Your degree will be taught in English and it will be the common language you share with friends. Being confident in English...

How to revise: 5 top revision techniques

Wondering how to revise for exams? It’s easy to get stuck in a loop of highlighting, copying out, reading and re-reading the same notes. But does it really work? Not all revision techniques are...

How can international students open a bank account in the UK?

Opening a student bank account in the UK can be a great way to manage your spending and take advantage of financial offers for university students. Read on to find out how to open a bank account as...

You May Also Like

Expectations vs. Reality: How My Freshman Year during a Pandemic Measured Up

Student vlogger Will Loggia (COM’24): it was “awesome”

Will loggia (com’24).

The Class of 2024 knew that living on campus would be different from what they’d always imagined. The COVID-19 pandemic had altered—well,  everything. Instead of taking 101 classes in large lecture halls and meals with floormates at the dining hall, meeting people at various gatherings, going to concerts and sports games, this year’s freshmen got a crash course in social distancing, masking, twice-weekly COVID testing, hybrid learning, and grab-and-go meals from the dining hall.

As an unprecedented year is ending, student vlogger Will Loggia (COM’24) has produced a video chronicling a year like no other. He talks about his expectations on arriving at BU and how the year has measured up. From classes to food to friendship, he shares an up close and personal look at a freshman year no one will ever forget. So, watch “Expectation vs Reality,” and maybe come to agree with Will about the quote he ends his account with.

Explore Related Topics:

• Charles River Campus
• Construction
• Dining Hall
• Residence Life
• Share this story
• 6 Comments Add

Will Loggia (COM’24) Profile

Comments & Discussion

Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.

There are 6 comments on Expectations vs. Reality: How My Freshman Year during a Pandemic Measured Up

Enjoyed the video, and for me, the nostalgia. I lived in Dorm 1 of West Campus my freshman and sophomore years (1967-1969). The three dorms had not been named yet. The Commonwealth Armory was on the site where Student Village is now. Aerosmith practiced in the basement of Dorm 1 during my junior year when I lived at “700”, now called Warren Towers. Who knew??

What a fantastic video! I did not attend Boston University, but if I was an incoming freshman, I would be more than happy that my university is so willing to let the students show off the school.

This video is super informative, and the video creator has such an amazing personality! If everyone is like him at Boston University, then it would no doubt be the best school in the country.

Rock on, Will! Thanks for sharing your experience and wise perspective.

What a great video, Will! We’re going to put your skills to work in the fall semester of CM 180. So you’ll finally get to experience what a large-lecture course is like at BU. Hope you enjoy the summer, and I’ll see you in the fall!

Great job and a great overview for worried parents of incoming freshman. You give me confidence to send my son all the way to Boston, seeing your talent and the comradery you have with the other students. Thank you for putting it together.

Fantastic video! Proud to have students like you in COM! Good luck with finals!

Post a comment. Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest from BU Today

Double chocolate banana pudding pie, to do today: river fit summer fitness series, university makes new contract offer to graduate students, to do today: get your groove on with the tito puente latin music series, questrom student helps women artisans in india become entrepreneurs, bu white coat ceremony welcomes 141 students to the profession of medicine, to do today: clue: a walking mystery, bu experts on boeing’s legal and technical troubles, what does tim walz bring to kamala harris’ ticket, to do today: boston parks movie nights, does it matter if boston mayor michelle wu doesn’t take maternity leave, to do today: explore the boston lights show at the franklin park zoo, what’s hot in music august: new albums, local concerts, photos of the month: a look back at july at bu, to do today: attend the annual feast of saint agrippina in the north end, to do today: free outdoor screening of godzilla 2000: millennium on the rose kennedy greenway, biden calls for supreme court reforms–but are there better options, pov: what is the “right” population for earth, and who should decide, has the us hit the “soft landing” of controlling inflation without a recession, was the shooting of donald trump “political violence” or something else.

University: expectations versus reality

Moving to university and living in halls of residence inevitably evokes a number of emotions within a student. Whether that be the stress of balancing a social life with reading and coursework, worrying if you will be homesick as soon as your parents leave and fearing the huge push to enduring an independent lifestyle.

Prior to moving, all students will have their expectations of what they feel university will actually be like, compared to the surprising or traumatic reality that is…being a student.

One of my biggest worries, and probably for a lot of new students, was making new friends at university. Will I bond with my flatmates? Do I have to initiate conversation first? What if no one likes me? Before I moved the University of Lincoln, I was fearful that socialising was going to be difficult and I was going to encounter endless awkward cases between people on my course and those living in my flat.

Fortunately, the reality is better than you think; your gut-wrenching nerves are set to ease when you’ve moved into halls. You have to remember that everyone is in the exact same position as you – as soon as I unpacked my suitcases, I plucked up the courage to knock on my flatmates’ doors to introduce myself.

Everyone is extremely friendly wherever you go, especially during fresher’s week. If you are struggling to bond with your flatmates, there are countless ways to find and make friends. There are a large variety of societies, clubs and social events to find people with similar hobbies to yourself, not to mention students on your course that clearly have similar interests.

YOUR BEDROOM

Before I came to university, I heard many ‘horror’ stories regarding halls of residence. The ‘tiny’ rooms, thin walls and the struggle to achieve a homely feel is built up to make university accommodation seem intolerable. My expectations were instantly changed!

After a week of living in my room, I added all the homely touches to feel comfortable in both my work and personal space. From attending poster/craft sales, purchasing affordable fairy lights from Primark and ordering photos, it was more than simple to personalise my room to a look I’m happy with.

My top tip would be to find or bring something to university that makes you feel at ease; whether that be a memory box, a collection of photos or your favourite pillow, you are bound to feel at home in no time.

Coming to University of Lincoln open days and attending the applicant day, I was informed that my course would involve 13 hours contact time, on average, per week. My first expectation was that there would be so much time to socialise, keep on top of my work, cook, clean, wash my clothes and write my personal blog on a regular basis. However, it is the complete opposite.

The days seems to swiftly whiz by and before you know it, it’s going to be Christmas! Planning my time at university has been very wise since reality hit! I would strongly advise buying a planner or to-do list to ensure you’re ticking off all the important things you need to accomplish before the end of each day.

This way I’ve managed to prioritise my schedule – ensuring I can spend time studying and reading, whilst allocating time for socialising and my extra-curricular hobbies.

If you think you’ve worked out university before you’ve experienced it yourself, I can assure you that your expectations will never quite meet reality…

Meet the author

We use cookies to understand how visitors use our website and to improve the user experience. To find out more, see our Cookies Policy .

Going to uni: expectations vs. reality

Going to uni might be totally different to what you expect, but what's the reality? Your expectations of uni life might not always be entirely accurate.

So, you made it through your A-levels, celebrated through the summer, and now, finally it’s here. It’s September, and that can only mean one thing – it’s nearly time for uni! Are you excited? 

You’ve definitely got some great times ahead, but university isn’t all fun and games; sometimes you have to write essays, too. So just in case you were getting too carried away, let us present you with some of the popular expectations of university life vs. the reality.

1. Expectation: luxurious student digs

Ok, so maybe not all of you were expecting this. But it’s got to be better than the tiny box room you grew up in, right? Right?

While there are some snazzy  private halls of residence cropping up across the country, it's highly likely you'll be in university campus accommodation. Your room most likely won’t be fancy, but it’ll be functional, and you can definitely improve it with some posters, fairy lights or house plants.

2. Expectation: student loan! I’m rich!

With maintenance loans of up to £9,250 available each year, you can now splash out at Waitrose every week. Drinks on you!

There’s a good chance your first student loan instalment will be the biggest amount of money you’ve ever seen in your bank account, but don’t spend it all at once. Remember, it’s got to cover your rent, bills, books, travel and entertainment. Luckily, we’ve got lots of finance advice to help you get through the year.

3. Expectation: finally! A chance to show off my superior culinary skills.

You won’t be one of those stereotypical students who lives off junk food and beans on toast. You’re going to eat healthily, maybe even show off your prowess in the kitchen by cooking for your flatmates. They’ll love it!

There’s a reason why the average student gains a stone in their first year. Cooking can be hard, especially when you’ve got to fit it around lectures and those all-important nights out. Take a look at our advice for cooking at uni , and try not to order takeaway every night.

4. Expectation: free at last. I’m never going home again.

Except for Christmas, obviously and maybe for a few days in the summer if you’re not too busy holidaying with your new friends.

This sentiment will last exactly as long as it takes for you to run out of clean underwear and/or money. Whichever comes first.

5. Expectation: campus life is one long catwalk

You’ve probably bought loads of new clothes for uni already, and why not? Obviously you want to impress your new classmates.

We give it a week before you succumb to the lure of the Oodie. So cosy.

6. Expectation: woo! Party every night!

You’re finally living away from home, and enjoying all the freedom that brings. You can’t wait to be the life and soul of every night out, and get invited to all the coolest parties.

‘No more alcohol. I beg you.’ – You, by Thursday. Lucky for you, there are plenty of alcohol-free activities you can do at uni.

7. Expectation: I’m going to every single lecture. Even the early ones.

You’ll be this year’s Hermione Granger. ‘I know the answer! Pick me!’

It’s been a hard week of partying, and the snooze button is looking very tempting this morning. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

8. Expectation: my hall mates will all be awesome and we’ll be best friends forever.

Why wouldn’t you love every one of the eight other people you’ve been randomly selected to live with?

Halls are great for making friends, but don’t expect to instantly hit it off with everyone. There’s always one guy…

9. Expectation: becoming irresistible 

You're a mystery, and who can resist a mystery? 

You’re going to meet loads of people at uni and there’ll be plenty of opportunities for romance, but you weren’t Tom Hiddleston before Freshers’ Week, and you probably aren’t now.

10. Expectation: finding ‘the one’

Ever since Wills and Kate met and fell in love when studying together at St Andrews, more and more students are expecting to leave university with a degree and a future spouse.

If you do happen to meet ‘the one’ during Freshers’ Week (statistically it’s unlikely), great. If not, don’t sweat it – you’re too young to be tied down!

For more tips and expectations, read our student blogger Iga’s 40 things she wishes she'd known before starting uni.

Similar articles

YOUR UCAS POINTS 0

Please wait

University – Expectations VS. Reality

Brace yourselves! September is coming …

And guess what that means?

Uni is right around the corner!

We’re sure that you’re going to have the best time of your life being a student, however, sometimes, especially if it is your first year being at university, things may not go as you’d always envisioned them.

We agree that every student has a different academic experience, yet, the past has proved that uni expectations usually vary from their actual academic practices.

Here, we have gathered a few of the most popular student expectations compared with the real-life uni experience.

Expectation: Textbooks will be provided by the university

We hope that you are prepared for a lot of reading because, at uni reading is basically your full-time job. Therefore, students tend to think that their university will cover all of their textbook materials.

Well, this is partly true because in some cases the academic library will have hard copies of your textbooks, however, there are usually less than the number of students in the course, so if you would like one for free,  that’s probably not going to happen if your university is not using Kortext.

Reality: Spending hundreds of pounds on academic books (that you’ll probably never use)

Following on from our last point, if your university doesn’t have the titles available, it’s both unfortunate and more likely that you will spend a fortune on buying your reading list.

The thing is, at the end of the year, your books will smell as fresh as new, as you’ll probably never use them.

So, top tip: Don’t rush to buy your books. Do some research to make sure if your university has a digital copy of them or provides access to platforms such as Kortext. Kortext has a repository of two million texts – that way, you’re not only saving some coin, but you’re also saving yourself from the back pain caused by carrying those heavy books.

Expectation: Student loan = financial stability

We all know the good feeling of seeing the first instalment of the student loan in our bank accounts. It’s really a relief, but in some cases, the figure drops dramatically as fast as fresher’s week goes.

Reality: Student loan = financial responsibility

The truth is that the majority of it will go into rent, groceries, and other necessities. Therefore, our advice is to have a good think of your possible expenses and organise an example of your weekly budget which you can follow throughout the semester. You can create a spreadsheet or download an app that can track your spending for you. It’s that easy! Trust us, and thank yourself later.

Expectation: You will be on top of my productivity for the whole year

Study hard, play hard! Right? Well, usually this counts for the first week of Uni…which in most cases is your induction week.

Reality: ‘I need a break’ – you, 5 minutes into studying

Gradually as you progress through university, your workload grows with you and that is totally normal. Therefore, this makes it harder to always be on top of your A-game. However, we recommend sticking to a daily routine that makes you happy and gives you that boost of motivation which we all need sometimes to keep ourselves going. And remember, always leave some space for a nap!

Expectation: You need to make friends immediately

Often, there is a misconception that the people you first bump into will stay your besties throughout university. If you like to take your time before diving into a new friendship, this can be quite an unnerving and pressuring process. Luckily, this is not always the case having in mind how different we all are.

Reality:  People come and go and that’s okay

Yes, uni is a very sociable place, and you will meet a lot of new people, however, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they will stay in your life forever, which is absolutely okay. The most important thing is to learn and grow from your experience. Don’t feel pressured if you think you haven’t found your people yet, there is a big chance that other people haven’t either.

Top tip: You can always join different societies to experience new things and meet new groups of people.

Expectation: you will know exactly what is going on from the start.

Usually, students tend to think that university is pretty much the same as high school. You just go to a different building and the classes are just called lectures to make them look fancy. Well…that’s not the case exactly.

Reality: You will learn throughout your whole academic journey

No matter if it’s your first-time cooking for yourself, doing your own laundry, or even opening your own bank account, there is always something new that you will experience which you might not be entirely prepared for. Although it might sound scary, the fact is that this is a completely normal way of maturing, learning, and finding your own ways of growing up.  You’ve got this!

So, these are our top 5 expectations vs. reality uni edition!

Let us know if you would add any more examples to the list in the comments! We will love to read about your own university experience!

Why textbooks should be included in tuition fees

It was a record breaking Results Day!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Other blog topics

Most popular articles.

• Accreditations
• University Librarians
• University Academics
• University Leaders
• University Students

Legal & Support

• Help Centre
• Case Studies

Information

• Accessibility
• Website Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Modern Slavery Policy
• Sustainability Policy

Privacy Overview

Error: Contact form not found.

Book a discovery call with a member of the team.

Job role * Library Leader/Governance Operations Academic IT Services Student Services Student Publisher Partner Other

Country * --- United Kingdom ------------- Canada Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Virgin Islands, British Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Cote d’Ivoire Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Norway Oman Pakistan Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Reunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Korea, Republic of South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Holy See (Vatican City State) Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Vietnam Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

Please select a UK region... North East North West Yorkshire East Midlands West Midlands East London South East South West Scotland Wales Northern Ireland

Area of interest * Library workflow & content acquisition (Arcturus) Digital bookshelf and learning tools (Arcturus) Analytics (Arcturus) Academic/teaching tools (Arcturus) Reading list management (Keylinks) Publisher analytics (Publisher Smarthub) Integrated content marketplace (eBookstore)

Yes , by clicking submit I agree to be contacted by Kortext. Privacy Policy .

Download our latest product and product update brochures.

Country * --- United Kingdom United States ------------- Canada Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Virgin Islands, British Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Cote d’Ivoire Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Norway Oman Pakistan Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Reunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Korea, Republic of South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Holy See (Vatican City State) Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Vietnam Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

Kortext Downloads

Please select from our PDF brochures below:

Download Product Brochure

Download Spring Product Update

Kortext Summer Update 2022

Download Brochure

What year will you be going into in September? 1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th year

Can you attend campus on a weekly basis? yes no unsure

To ensure you are actively available to promote the Kortext service?

Can you attend the freshers fairs? yes no unsure

To actively promote the Kortext platform?

Have you used Kortext before? yes no

Do you have the right to work in the UK? yes no

Coming into college I had the advantage of knowing many other people that have gone through the college process that have helped me prepare for what to look for. Even with this knowledge, I was somewhat scared of how it would actually be for me. One main thing I was worried about, as are most other people, was the workload I would have. During my senior year of high school, I had a half day schedule so I would have a light workload. I was used to this, and expected it to be the same in college. At first, since everything was a new experience, I felt that the workload increased and was stressed due to all the changes, academically and socially, that I was going through. After a few weeks, I was able to get on the right track and balance my school life with my personal life really well and the workload didn't overwhelm me as much. It is important for future students to know that at first University life will be a little difficult, but as long as they find their right balance, it is not as bad as they might have thought it would be. There are definitely times where it may be overwhelming, such as midterms and finals week, but that is unavoidable and students are prepared for this beforehand. Another piece of advice I would give incoming SGC students is to take advantage of the opportunities given to them by the University. The University of Maryland has numerous clubs and organizations that students can be a part of to help them further their education as well as meet people with the same interest as them. One last piece of advice that I believe is really beneficial to first year college students is to have a good relationship with their professors. Students should approach their professors in the beginning of the semester and maintain this interaction throughout the course of the class. It is really important to have a healthy relationship with your professor since they may be someone you ask for a recommendation letter for. Additionally, a good relationship can get you opportunities that other students may not have had since you are showing interest in what you are learning by taking time out of your day to meet with the professor. These meetings don't always have to be educational, they can involve day to day conversations on how each other's day is going. Overall, it is important to come into college with a positive attitude towards it and not be afraid of whatever challenges it may throw at you. Everyone else is going through the same feelings and one is not alone in this process!

• Student Life
• Expectation versus reality in the life of a student

Student life is awesome, but sometimes things don't quite go like you planned or dreamed them!

Student life: expectations versus reality

We all have an idyllic image of what our time at university or UAS is going to look like. A life where you will party every day, you will never have to really study that hard and of course money will never be a problem. But do those expectations meet reality?

Expectation: Party everyday Reality: You will probably spend many nights alone in your bed, with Netflix as your only companion. It is not realistic to expect that you will party all the time. First, your bank account has a limit, unfortunately. Secondly: there's the study part to cover, and even if there was a party down across the hallway every night, you still need to put those essays and assignments together. 

Expectation: You will never miss a lecture Reality: In the meantime, you have learned that your university timetable differs greatly from your hours at high school. You can have a lecture in the morning and another lecture at 5 o'clock. Besides that, not all classes have a presence-requirement, so playing hooky has never been this easy! Don't get yourself into trouble and just go to class! Skipping classes thinking you can cover the topic on your own at another time will only likely lead to you cramming the night before the exam in absolute panic, so best to avoid that last minute reading altogether and get yourself to class to study - it will pay off. 

Expectation: Living on your own is great Reality: When you finally leave your parents' house, it certainly feels liberating. But after a while you start to miss living at home with parents who would help you with adulting. Suddenly, on top of your studies, there's a ton of other things to remember - rent, laundry, electricity, internet and water bills, groceries... Developing a good routine to your week will help you get a smooth start. 

Expectation: You will never visit your parents, except on special days and during the holidays Reality: You will visit your parents when you are in need of food or money, or anything you can't get yourself. The freedom when you leave home is exciting, but you will visit your parents way more than you expect. 

Expectation: You know how to deal with money, you will never become the typical poor student! Reality: Despite student finance and loans, your income is still pretty low. Sometimes the expectation fits reality, but unfortunately it doesn't when it comes to money. You will become the stereotypical student, always looking for discounts. Luckily, you have the global discounts with your ISIC card. You have limited means, but for sure you will be creative!

Expectation:  Studying is always interesting and graduating will be easy Reality: Choosing your own path and subjects to study sounds great right? Studying will be so easy now that you are only doing subjects you enjoy! Sadly, that's not the case. Every topic has unenjoyable parts and life can't be all fun and games all the time. You have to deal with the not-so-fun parts to be able to enjoy the amazing parts. Sometimes you'll find topics that first seemed to be the worst turn out to be the best (and vice versa).  

Expectation: You will meet your best friends on your first day at university and you remain friends for life. Reality: People walk in and out of your life faster than you ever thought was possible. Having a healthy social life is great, but to have best friends you can trust and connect with is irreplaceable. It sometimes takes some time and experience to find them. 

Ultimately, of course, everything will be fine, and your student time will be one of your most carefree times - so make the most of it! 

You’re in the archive, new junkee.Com (and stories) here.

• The Junkee Takeaway
• About Junkee
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

Writing An Essay: Expectations Vs Reality

Expectation: Submitting it early Reality: Livin' life on the edge and getting it in at 11.58pm

Want more Junkee in your life? Sign up to our newsletter , and follow us on Instagram and Facebook so you always know where to find us.

Essay writing is quite the art form. If we’re talking about the Year 4, pick three colours and try to colour in a koala kind of art.

Here’s what you’re probably expecting writing an essay to be like versus what it’s actually like.

Expectation: Getting Started Is The Hardest Part

Reality: the whole damn essay is the hardest part.

Those procrastinators among us often convince ourselves that it’s totally fine to leave one day for the completion of an assignment — because once you actually start that essay, you’ll be able smash it out in one go.

This is almost never true. It isn’t until you actually start writing the essay that you realise how much you dislike writing essays, and it’s painful to know that you have to be essay-ing for the next eight hours straight.

Expectation: Writing About A Topic You Already Know About Is A Piece Of Cake

Reality: you still need to find references for every single fact you already know.

It’s all fun and games when you get an essay topic on something that you’re already particularly interested in. That is, until you realise you can’t include any of the random facts you know without referencing a scholarly article.

I know that the purpose of a kettle is to boil water in an accessible jug – do I really need to say that Bill actually said it in his paper on Kitchen Essentials in 1995?

Expectation: Leaving Your Beloved Bibliography Until Last Because It’ll Take You No Time!

Reality: panicking at 11:58pm about whether you’re meant to use a full stop or comma after the author’s name.

We’ve been writing bibliographies for years now, how hard could it actually be? Hard. We can never be quite sure where the brackets go, or the colons and commas. I guess, when you think about it, why on earth would our brains choose to store information about the difference between italics and quotations in a bibliography over Cardi B’s new lyrics? That’s right – it doesn’t. Maybe next time we’ll remember that and leave a solid three hours for our bibliographies? Nah.

Expectation: Submitting Your Essay Early To Make Life Easier

Reality: living life on the edge and submitting at 40 seconds ’til midnight.

“Golly, I’m definitely never leaving my essay until the last minute again – I don’t want to be emailing the Dean again on account of my late submissions. Early, stress-free starts it is for me now!”

Four weeks later.

“Hey Mr Dean, it’s your pal Claudia again (whoop)! So, funny story, this the 7 th time I missed the assignment deadline, but the silver lining is that I made a new PB — submitted it only 20 seconds over the cut-off time! I feel like you’d be high-fiving me right about now, sir?”

Expectation: Technology Is Amazing – Look How Fast You Can Type Your Assignment

Reality: screw technology.

Being able to access the uni library from the comfort of your trackies, thanks to your trusty laptop, is definitely one of the perks to 21 st century uni life. It’s all fun and games until your computer fails and loses your entire essay just minutes before it is due.

Expectation: Essay Structure Is So Simple And Straightforward

Reality: “when do i start a new paragraph”  .

You’d think finding content to write about would be the hardest part of the essay – that is, until you find yourself questioning the use of semicolons and wondering how many words should make up a sentence.

Expectation: Only 4000 Words? I’ll Definitely Take Advantage Of That Extra 10%!

Reality: wondering whether your tutor will accept 632 words.

Remember the good old days in high school when you would write 700 words over the word limit just because? Although you may not realise it at first – in uni, word limits will be your enemy. You’ll find yourself including “just a few” extra convincing, incredible and persuasive adjectives, in an attempt to bump up your word count.

Perhaps we should learn from our mistakes and learn to write essays properly and punctually? Nah – where’s the fun in that?

(Lead image: The Office/NBC)

• Quiz: Find Your Program
• Browse Program Categories
• AI-Powered Search
• Find a Career
• Career Quiz
• Student Housing
• Chat With Students
• Study Abroad
• Scholarships
• Job Opportunities
• Virtual Tours
• Counsellors

Student Life: Expectations Vs. Reality

When you start university, it's hard to know what to expect. a queen's university belfast student shares her expectations and how they matched up with reality..

This article was written by Claire Ford, a Queen's University Belfast student.

EXPECTATION: You attend classes all day every day

REALITY: After spending years in education, many automatically assume that university is going to be a similar structure to high school. This really isn't the case. Most degrees don't have classes all day every day and, in many cases, you don't have classes every day of the week.

University is more about independent learning with most courses having a few classes and lectures with the expectation that you'll continue your studies in your spare time at home or at a university study space.

EXPECTATION: All everyone does is party

REALITY: Growing up, I was always told about how students would party hard throughout university. I'm not saying that they don't — of course they do — however, it's not really what older generations, and the movies, let on .

Students drink and party occasionally, but the vast majority are extremely respectful, don't always party, and always put their university work first, graduating with great degrees. There are also many students who don't drink or party at all. There's plenty to do at university that doesn't involve alcohol, such as sports and society events .

EXPECTATION: University is just about getting a degree

REALITY: Yes, we're all here to earn a credential and further our education, but university has so much more to offer. You can make friends for life , join clubs and societies to find new hobbies and interests, develop social skills , and increase your employability through work experience provided by the university. Explore everything that Queen's University Belfast has to offer!

You can gain so much more than just a degree if you make an effort to get involved.

EXPECTATION: University is one big friend group

REALITY: I won't be the only one who's always been told that you'll make lots of friends at university and that it's one massive social circle. Although this is true to an extent, it really does take some effort . I don't think it's as effortless as many let on.

Three years into my degree, a lot of people in my program don't speak to each other outside of classes. I've made almost all my friendships through societies, groups, accommodation, and other friends. You can certainly make lots of friends at university, but I really think you need to get involved and put effort in , especially if your course is very large, like mine.

EXPECTATION: You need a whole new wardrobe for uni

REALITY: As many start university, it's likely that you're planning a bit of a clothing haul. However, I'm telling you now that the high fashion on campus rarely lasts past orientation week . When I started university, I must've spent a few hundred pounds on clothing — but when you're getting up for a 9 AM lecture, students barely wash their faces, never mind put together a cute outfit.

You really don't need a whole new wardrobe for university — an oversized hoodie will be your best friend.

EXPECTATION: University societies are just to socialize and have fun

REALITY: This expectation isn't wrong, societies are a great place to socialize and have fun, however this isn't their sole purpose or even the main reason that some join. Societies make a great addition to your learning, personal development, and resumé . Many even have great connections with local businesses which help those involved get graduate roles.

Being on the committee of a society also shows great responsibility and is something I was always asked about when I was interviewing for placements.

EXPECTATION: Student loans and grants are free money

REALITY: Having only worked part-time jobs prior to university, my student loan was a very large amount of money to me when I first received it. I remember that many of my friends spent it all in one go! Textbooks and food are expensive and believe me, you'll need every penny of your student loan .

EXPECTATION: You're going to cook great meals

REALITY : I see so many university students arrive on their first day armed with a recipe book and great willpower; however, believe me, it doesn't often last long. Vegetables are expensive, doing the dishes is time consuming, and Tesco pot noodles taste too good . Still, learning to cook simple meals , like rice, beans, and frozen veggies, can save you a ton of cash in the long run.

Those are just some university myths debunked. Hopefully this helps you feel more prepared and have a better idea of what to expect when you start your first year!

Discover Queen's University Belfast

account_balance More About This School

Discover....

• Helpful Advice
• Student Life
• Paying for School
• Going Abroad
• Graduate School
• School News

Subscribe to our newsletter

Trending_up trending articles.

• How to Apply to Ivy League Schools By Logan Bright
• How to Find a Career in Healthcare in Canada By Logan Bright
• Your Business Career Outlook: Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow By University of Fredericton
• How to Create a Budget (and Stick to It!) By Tess Campbell
• The Dos and Don’ts of First-Year Dorm Living By Carleton University
• About SchoolFinder.com
• Meet the Team
• Our Partners
• Privacy Policy
• The SchoolFinder Group

StudyinCanada.com

ScholarshipsCanada.com

• GradSchoolFinder.com
• Career-College.com
• LanguageSchoolFinder.com
• Books4Exchange.com
• SchoolFinderGroup.com
• Let's Connect
• Advertise with us
• School Administrator
• Counsellor Toolbox

Your SchoolFinder login gets you access to the whole platform!

Get instantly matched to scholarships, receive deadline alerts, and find advice on scholarship applications.

Get matched to schools and programs in Canada, request information, and learn how to thrive as an international student.

Your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please enable JavaScript to access SchoolFinder.com. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if you continue to experience technical difficulties.

First semester of university: Expectations vs reality

It feels simultaneously like only a week but also an entire year has passed since my last day of high school, but now I'm almost six months into my university degree. I knew it would be different from high school, but it really, really is, and I have some insights for anyone starting university or wondering what the uni student lifestyle is actually like.  

You might feel a little lonely

Making friends can be hard, and unlike high school, there's not as much forced togetherness where you can form friendships simply because you see each other all day, every day. Living on campus might be a different story, but if you don't it can be hard to make friends or move past the acquaintance stage with people you see and chat to casually in class. It's important to just be enthusiastic and follow up with those people, ask for their social media, join clubs, go through friends of friends, and see if your university has a Facebook group you can join. Remember, it's okay and very, very normal to struggle with meeting new people, but there are always opportunities to do so if you look for them.  

You have to be self-directed

University is extremely different from high school in that your learning is largely up to you. Showing up to class, watching your lectures every week, and handing in that assignment on time. Make sure you keep yourself on track  but also ask for help if you need it. There are heaps of on-campus services to assist you, and your lecturers and tutors should be on hand to answer any questions or give advice, plus turn to the people in your classes to bond over your struggle to keep up — another solution to the first point!  

Broke uni student life is real

You will be strapped for cash, so you'll get really good at finding good deals for food, free coffees, making the most of freebies on campus, uni student discounts, free entry for students on Thursdays, and the list goes on. Embrace it — almost everyone is in the same boat.  

Start your assignments early

This one applies to high school as well, but I cannot stress this enough. Your uni workload will likely be higher, and as mentioned above, there are fewer reminders and push from your teachers to get them in on time. Make sure you keep track of what you need to do and when you need to do it, and be on your own back about it.  

• Student Stories: Four things I wish I knew before starting uni
• Managing your money as a first-year uni student
• How to decide whether to defer your course

Related blogs

What I wish I'd known before finishing school

23 Feb 2022

• Rankings 44
• Student stories 43
• Tertiary study 97
• After graduation 31
• Education news 56
• Career guidance 61

Become a member

Already a member? Login Forgot password?

Join the conversation

Search universities.

• Universities in ACT
• Universities in NSW
• Universities in QLD
• Universities in SA and NT
• Universities in TAS
• Universities in VIC
• Universities in WA

Search TAFE Institutes

• TAFEs in ACT
• TAFEs in NSW
• TAFEs in QLD
• TAFEs in SA and NT
• TAFEs in TAS
• TAFEs in VIC
• TAFEs in WA

Search by Field of Work

• Architecture, Building and Planning
• Create Arts and Design
• Computing and ICT
• Engineering and Technical
• Health and Community Services
• Hospitality and Tourism

Cookies help us to give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings if you wish. Otherwise we'll assume you're OK to continue. OK See our policy

February 4, 2017, by Lucy

University: Expectations vs Reality

– Expectation: despite having no culinary experience, you will be quite the magician in the kitchen. Lasagne? Pips. Soufflé? Easy. A flame grilled chicken breast in a garlic crumb coating, accompanied by homemade Cajun sweet potato fries and a lemon zested guacamole relish? Completed it, mate. Everything you touch will turn into something worthy of the Masterchef title. Call me Gordon Ramsey, pass me that Michelin star.

– Reality: you’ve only been at uni for 4 days and have already shunned the idea of kitchen appliances. Thoughts of using the hob fill you with fear, and don’t even get me started on using the oven. But hey, your laziness and lack of kitchen skills do not dampen your culinary expectations. But why, you ask? Because Domino’s does 24-hour delivery. #blessed

SOCIAL LIFE

– Expectation: you will be out every day, every night, painting the town red. Your mantra will be ‘work hard, play hard’. Any instances of being in bed before 1am will be a disappointment. During the day, you will be hanging out at quaint coffee shops, talking about all the clothes you’ve just amassed on your recent haul. By night-time you will be trawling through the local bars, sipping on extravagant cocktails. This is what uni is about isn’t it?

– Reality: it is 6pm and you are curled up in bed watching RuPaul’s Drag Race. You haven’t seen a single person all day, apart from the brief encounter you had with the Hermes man when you collected a parcel that wasn’t even yours. You wonder whether this is your life now, would it be that bad to become an urban hermit? Possibly not.

– Expectation: work will be done, or at least started, the day that it is set. You will hand in your coursework weeks before the deadline whilst watching all the last-minute crammers with a sense of smugness. Bless them and their disorganisation.

– Reality: you know you should do your work ASAP. You know it would be better if the information was still fresh in your mind. You know that it could all be so easy. But, for some reason (probably laziness), you reject this common sense and spend your time napping. As the deadline period looms you are left in a state of despair having 6 essays and 3 analytical commentaries to write, why are you like this?

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Google+
• Share on LinkedIn

Previous Post

No comments yet, fill out a comment to be the first

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe by email

About this blog.

Want to know what student life is really like at the University of Nottingham? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Our team of student bloggers will tell you all you need to know about the University, the city of Nottingham and a whole lot more.

Student life on social

Recent posts

• Connect-ing with others at university
• Life at UoN as a mature student
• Staying active at university (and making it fun!)
• Sleep is an investment: making my sleep routine
• Going Home after Uni for the first time.

Useful links

• Undergraduate study
• Postgraduate study
• Request a prospectus
• Nottingham life
• Student life
• Visiting us

• Meet The Team

University Life: Expectations vs Reality

College is different than I expected. I felt the same about high school. I would watch movies and shows that follow a main group of friends who are inseparable. These friend groups go everywhere, do everything, are rebellious, and surprisingly, are never doing actual school work. I always thought that college was just partying. College was just meant for spending money, walking around aimlessly, and attending parties. This scared me as I was and still am not a party person. I enjoy an occasional party here and there, don’t get me wrong, but I could not do the weekend benders weekend after weekend. This made me afraid for life in college. I have completed two years of college thus far and let me tell you, I had extreme expectations that were just not true to my experience at college. 

Expectations vs Reality

I expected to during my first week of college to instantly have best friends. I am not quite sure where I got this idea from, but that is not how friendships are made. In highschool you have an established group of friends that you probably made in elementary or middle school. Finding friends during that time of life is easier as you know everyone, where they are from, and most students take all the same classes. That was way different when I got to West Chester University. I wasn’t sure what classes they were taking, what their majors were, where they were from, hobbies, etc. I was really lost. It didn’t help that I was new to Pennsylvania and attended a school where the majority of students were Pennsylvania natives. 

I also expected college to be all about parties. While a lot of students may enjoy and attend parties, that is only a small part of what college is. College is for exploring and figuring out who you are. So parties really only make up a small percentage of what college is. I don’t really even attend college parties, I prefer spending time with my best friends and bonding with them. 

Before I came to college, I was frightened about the workload and all of the classes I would have to take. Let me tell you right now, college is not everything everyone makes it out to be. You get to choose what courses you take and which ones you don’t. While every major is different and requires different classes, you still have a decision each semester of what you want to take and what interests you. This was much different from my high school experience, as people who I didn’t know chose every class and level I took. 

Lastly, people state that college gives you a lot of freedom. That is 100% true. Not only do you get thrown into freedom, but you get to decide who you hang out with, who you want to be, the effort you put into your school work, and much more. College is really a time to discover yourself. While all of that sounds crazy, you still get to make a routine in which there is stability in your day to day. You are not lost and you are not alone. Everyone at college is there for one reason or another. It is just for you to decide why you are there and what you want to get out of it. 

One piece of advice that I would give to anyone interested in college is to think about where you want to be in life. What career are you interested in pursuing? What journey do you want to embark on? Who are the people that would support you best? While college is for fun and friendships, it is also for a future and learning. College is what you make it out to be and I advise those in college to not waste the time away. It goes by quickly, which I am realizing now as my second year of college is concluding. Enjoy your college years as they go by quickly, don’t give your energy to people who don’t support you, and most importantly this is your time, don’t waste it. 

• #experiences
• #life #experiences
• #university
• expectation
• expectation vs reality

West Chester '26

We wanna slide into your DMs

(but via email)

The newsletter you won’t leave unread.

Sunday, 11 August

24 Jan 2019

University expectations vs. reality

Starting university can be one of the most exciting feelings for a fresher. There's a whole different world out there waiting to be experienced and explored. 

Take it from someone who's been through it before, it definitely isn't all sunshine and roses and a lot of expectations you have for university life may not necessarily meet the reality.

I'm not saying that all students are the same or experience a lot of similar things, but many of them do, and that's okay. At the end of the day, it really is what you make of it.

What's something you learnt about university that challenged your expectations of it?  Send us your comments  and we could publish them. Do let us know if you'd like to remain anonymous. 

University expectations vs. reality:

Waking up for class.

Expectation:

Waking up bright and early for class, feeling eager and refreshed. Today you'll be on time for your 8am! 

Hitting snooze on your alarm for the forth time, until you really can't anymore. You accidentally hit "dismiss" instead of snooze and wake up 10 minutes before class starts. Maybe you'll be on time for your 10am? 

My advice : Don't worry, it happens. If there's one thing I could tell you, it's to never take your sleep for granted. Take your vitamins and make sure you're refreshed the next day or you'll have trouble waking up and concentrating throughout the day. 

You're going to work hard and be productive this year – you promise! 

You're going to continuously keep up with all the work you have to do. 

So you left some things for the last minute and now you're feeling overwhelmed and more than slightly exhausted. We've all been there, despising our past selves for not starting our work sooner. 

My advice : Actually start doing little bits of work where you can. If you're not someone who spends hours with their books, take it one step at a time and spare a half hour here and there during the day to do some work so you're not overwhelmed when you eventually need to complete it. 

Spend some time in the library, even if it's just 2 or 3 days a week. 

Weekends 

University is one big jol, loads of fun to be had. All your weekends are going to look exactly like this:

Hello broke student life! Think you're going to party again? What about that textbook you have to pay for?

Also, it's catch-up time. All those hours you spent during the week lazing around and watching YouTube videos means you need to spend your weekends working on all the things that are due.  

My advice : There's nothing wrong with having fun while studying. In fact, you should be having fun, it's important to find a healthy balance.

Going partying doesn't automatically mean you're not a good student, but if you're not someone who's good with balance, just know when to make time for what.

First term is going well so all terms will go well, your head will be above the water. You might even keep this energy for the rest of the year. 

... and then second term and mid-year exams hit. 

My advice : The first term is usually a lot more relaxed than the others, so just mentally prepare yourself. Obviously, your workload is what you make of it.

People at campus 

People at campus are going to maintain the high school mentality and be involved in your business. There's going to be some sort of social hierarchy. 

Nobody cares, and it's the best thing! Do your thing. Most people have their head glued to their phones or are too busy focusing on themselves to care about your life. There may be some sort of social hierarchy at certain universities, but pay no mind to it, some people clearly have a little growing up to do. 

My advice : Don't be afraid to make friends but leave the cliquey high school mentality behind. University is the time to meet new and different kinds of people so don't be afraid to do exactly that. 

The night before an exam

You're in bed nice and early, ready to be well-rested and tackle that exam. 

It's 1:42am and you're doing the best you can, really wondering why you can't sleep with your book under your pillow and have the information seep into your brain via osmosis or something. 

My advice : I mean, you decide which situation sounds better here (hint: it's not cramming). Time management, people! 

Talking to your classmates after a test 

Everyone wrote a great paper and you'll move on from the test and have a good day.

"Was your answer also '57' for that question?"

You, who got "Ostrich": 

My advice : When you're done with your exam, don't talk about it and walk away from people do. What's done is done and you don't need that kind of negativity in your life. 

Campus outfits 

Every day is your time to shine and you're going to pull up to campus with the most fire 'fits. 

Soon enough you won't care about what you wear, as long as you're clothed.

My advice : Some universities are generally more stylish than others, but wear whatever makes you comfortable. University is the time of self-expression after all. My only piece of advice is to wear comfortable shoes because you'll most likely end up doing a lot of walking.  

Homework and assignments

Expectations:

All your tutorial homework is prepared and you're ready to share all answers in class and join the open discussions.

You may need to borrow someone's tut homework from another class every now and then or sit quietly in tuts and avoid eye contact with your tutor.

My advice : You can't sponge off others forever, also, tuts are there to help you learn. Start making the effort. 

What's something you learnt about university that challenged your expectations of it? Send us your comments and we could publish them. Do let us know if you'd like to remain anonymous. 

Read more: 

Preparing your assignments? University referencing guide for beginners

Bursaries, scholarships & loans: Here's how to fund your studies

Advice for university students, from interns

31 Jan 2014

• AS IT HAPPENED | ‘A society that is inclusive’: Mia le Roux shares dream as she's crowned Miss SA
• Mia le Roux makes history as first hearing-impaired Miss South Africa
• Get to know the 2024 Miss SA, Mia le Roux, and why she's always been ready to serve
• 'She has shown little girls like her, never give up': Mia’s parents, boyfriend gush over Miss SA win
• PHOTOS | South African stars dazzle on the red carpet at Miss SA 2024 pageant

Free to listen for subscribers

News24's August audiobook that’s free to listen to for subscribers is The CEO X Factor by KC Rottok Chesaina.

Indulge in the finer things

News24's new magazine is curated for those who understand luxury and want to celebrate the richness of life.

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

Sommelier - Bi-weekly

A new bi-weekly newsletter by wine editor Daléne Fourie. The newsletter will serve as a guide for those who make wine, those who want to learn more about wine, and those who simply just love wine.

College: Expectations vs. Reality

Yes, there will be fun parties; yes, you'll have tons of freedom; and yes, there'll be some all-nighters at the libes. But movies and TV shows and all those people telling you it'll be the best four years of you life can give you some slightly unrealistic ideas about the college experience. Don't get us wrong, your time on campus will be awesome and life-changing, but it's always best to be prepared. Here are some of the expectations you might have about starting college versus the reality of what it will really be like:

Expectation: Hitting up awesome parties every night with your friends. #YOLO

Reality: Hanging out in a crowded dorm room with your hall mates until your RA breaks it up.

Expectation: No homework, endless chill time. YAAASSSS!

Reality: Being stuck at the library until 1 a.m. trying to get through the 500 pages of reading before your class the next morning.

Expectation: Hanging with all your new besties all. the. time.

Reality: Missing your high school friends and feeling like you'll never find your peeps. (Don't worry—you will!)

Expectation: Majoring in pre-med like you've planned ever since you decided you wanted to be a doctor at age 12.

Reality: Taking Organic Chemistry your first semester and realizing being a doctor is so not for you, and changing your major to Art History, then deciding that you actually want to major in dance before realizing you have no idea what you want to do.

Expectation: You and your roommate will be total besties!

Reality: You'll eat together at the dining hall every day for the first week and may very well spend the rest of the year pretending each other doesn't exist.

Expectation: Doing your own laundry like the mature, adult you are.

Reality: Waiting until you run out of clean underwear to go home for the weekend so your mom will do your laundry.

Expectation: Ditching class to finish your PLL marathon because you ~can~.

Reality: Skipping one class and feeling like you took a three-week vacation. How do they go over so much material in one day?!

Expectation: Sleeping in 'till noon every day.

Reality: Trying to stay awake during your 8:30am lecture, which in college time, is like 5:30am. BRUTAL.

Expectation: Your dorm will look EXACTLY like it does in the ad.

Reality: Dorm room? More like a closet closet crammed with oddly-shaped, mismatched furniture.

Expectation: Not having to go to class all day means plenty of time for naps.

Reality: Living off Sbux while you try to cram a semester's worth of reading into three days, and cursing all those naps you took instead of doing the assigned reading.

Expectation: Turning heads with all your super sophisticated new *college* outfits.

Reality: After week two, embracing sweatpants and a hoodie as an appropriate outfit for class, just like everybody else.

Expectation: Your pick of hot, mature college boys men to date.

Reality: Fratty dudes bumping into you and spilling drinks on your new shoes at crowded parties.

Do you have any more college expectations vs. realities to add to our list? Share them in the comments!

10 Life Lessons You Learn From Being in a Sorority

11 Things You'll Regret Not Doing in College

Photo Credit: Getty Images

GIF Credits: Giphy.com

School & Campus Life

61 Gifts That’ll Make College 100x Better

16 “Hocus Pocus” Costumes That Are Scarily Good

TikTok's Beloved Stanley Cup is Back in Stock

AirPods Pro Are The Lowest Price Ever on Prime Day

Back-to-School Captions to Help You Win Day One

These Items Make Your Freshman Year SO Much Better

You Need These TikTok-Famous Amazon Travel Hacks

The Best Dorm Bedding for Your Cozy College Life

15 Cool Dorm Room Decor Ideas

35 Memes That Describe the Back to School Struggle

8 of the Best Dorm Mini Fridges

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Education American Education System

Expectations Vs Reality Of University Life Opposed To High School

*minimum deadline

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below

• Brigham Young University
• Critical Thinking
• Starting School Later
• High School Graduation

Related Essays

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.