Raise your hand if you like your roommate. Okay… now raise your hand if you’ve ever been tempted to tuck her into a straightjacket. That’s what I thought. Approximately 50/50. In fact, I’ve met more people with roommate problems in the past few weeks than without. Luckily, I’ve been blessed with a roommate whom I adore. We’re polar opposites, but in the best way. She’s the little to my big. Our other friend wasn’t so lucky.

My college made a miniscule HUGE mistake when plotting out the housing plan for the year and ended up having to temporarily triple up some double rooms. Our unlucky suite-mates experienced snafu quick-fix firsthand. The original two girls in the room were anything but thrilled from right off the bat, and at first I sympathized with them. After all, that’s not what they bargained for! But after meeting the third girl, my roomie and I immediately bonded with her. And by the time they found her some new housing, we had become good friends. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for her roommates, and after a bitter battle involving Residence Life, some yelling, the police, writing witness statements, and a groundless order for no contact between the two parties, she was relocated to a room across the building.

Two other girls who share a suite together recently told me that they finally broke down and had a meeting with the rest of their roommates, particularly to confront one of them about her strange and disruptive habits. In their dorm, there are five girls to a single bathroom, and apparently the doors are capable of being locked. Twice every day, one of the girls locks all entrances to the shared bathroom and showers/does other miscellaneous things for close to two hours. Additionally, she has yet to unpack her large trunks of clothing, and slams them around at the crack of dawn as she tries to find whatever article of clothing she is looking for. The room meeting led to a one-on-one chat, which led to tears and a runaway roomie. Luckily, she turned up an hour later (with still-bloodshot eyes); but the problem still hadn’t been solved.

So what’s the deal with these crazy roommate situations? Each party must think that they are correct in their actions, or they wouldn’t have started them in the first place. But how can these problems be remedied- if at all? RAs can only seem to do so much, and every residence office of every school wants nothing more than as many housing contracts signed as possible. It’s up to us, the students, to strive for healthy relationships between our housemates; after all, we’ve got about seven months left with these people. We’ve got to maintain civility to maintain the peace.

Share some of your juicy roommate stories or advice below!

But before you sign those papers to withdraw from college – or the college experience – completely, let me tell you: college is awesome. It’s exciting and fun and full of new people, new places, new experiences. This is the beginning of the rest of your life! You’ll find your lifelong friends and deepest passions while occasionally losing your cell phone and too many hours of sleep. You’ll wake up with more stress than your shoulders can handle and fall asleep in shock at what you’ve achieved in a single day. Because for the first time, it really is all about you: learning from your past (or leaving it behind), savoring the present and focusing on your future.

It’s just the first month that’s incredibly and painfully rough: you’ll feel like you’re the weird new kid on campus, contemplate breaking up with your high school sweetheart and crave the company of family, friends and homemade cooking. But honestly, it’s all the unfamiliarity of these years that holds so much potential for what it all could be. And it could be – no, it’s going to be – absolutely great.

Don’t listen to all your friends at other schools who are “lovin’ it!”. They’re not. Well maybe some…but most people admit at the end of freshmen year that the first month was more scary than fun. More lonely than they thought it would be. So just know that it will get better and you will have fun. It takes time to make the bestest friends of your life. You probably won’t meet them the first month.

And with the help of CollegeCandy, you’ll quickly learn how to navigate in these new waters: which classes you really should be taking, how to look chic after rolling out of bed, what recipes are actually manageable and how to do your makeup so you really do look like that girl on your fake ID. CollegeCandy always has the campus scoop that you’re hungry for, all you have to do is make sure you’re getting fed!

The next (insert number of years here) is going to be one of the greatest times of your life. You’ll get to experience the freedom you’ve longed for, stay up for the late nights you didn’t expect, and find the greatest friends you never even knew existed.

You will fight with you roommate, multiple times. And it will be okay; nothing a small talk and a few bars of chocolate can’t fix. Remember, sometimes your mom can help. Call her, ask her what to do, involve her in your life. You are the one who needs to set the boundaries on when and how many times she can call. So talk to her.

It’s okay to fail. It’s okay to fail a lot, make mistakes, take stupid chances. There won’t be another time in your life when you can try this many things. So test out the waters, see what you like, find out what really makes you happy.

Sometimes it’s okay to skip your study sesh. You’re going to remember the night you stayed up playing Apples to Apples with your best friends, not what you got on a quiz that counts for 10% of your grade. Which brings me to…make memories! Yes, you go to college to get an education. But you’re only getting half of what you pay for if you only learn from books. So put off that paper one more day and go out with your friends.

Always think before you get a tattoo. Don’t use the excuse “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” Think about it, figure out exactly what you want. Remember that it is permanent, and your mom will find out about it some day.

Be single. Find out who you are without anyone attached to you. Date, and date a lot. You won’t be able to find out who you are interested in being with if you don’t play the field. Now, that is not me saying, “don’t be in a relationship!” Just make sure you figure out who you are FIRST.

Go to Sunday brunch as many times as possible, for you will miss the days when the greasy eggs were the perfect fix for your Saturday night hangover.

Never forget the times when your roommate rolls over at midnight and whispers “Are you still awake” and you both share why you can’t sleep while laughing at your neighbor’s intense make out sesh. Make sure to thank her for always being your number one fan and the twin sister you always wanted.

Freshmen: Remember you are new and you do not know anything about this environment. Never, under any circumstances, correct a senior…you may get hit, or black listed from future parties. On that note, go to parties, play Beirut and flip cup. And learn why upperclassmen mock freshman girls. (Need more freshman advice? Check out Everything I learned Freshman Year)

Sophomores: Do not utter “Oh my god freshman are so annoying,” but remember you were there less than 3 months ago. Sympathize with your younger counterparts. Enjoy being out of the freshman dorms, revel in the fact that you don’t have to ask for directions. And always keep in touch with the people who share your freshman year memories.

Juniors: You’re almost there, don’t wish it away. Have fun on your 21st birthday! Enjoy your first night to the bar. But remember to always go to the bar with a buddy, and watch out for the really creepy men that may try to hit on you, as well as the sloppy frat bros.

Seniors: Ahh, seniors. Don’t stress out, you will finish all of your work on time. Enjoy knowing your school and remember it’s okay to give a freshman the wrong directions. Go out and don’t think about “this is the last time…” just have fun making the memory. Take care of all graduation preparations before finals; trust me, it may seem a little unnecessary, but you’ll thank me. Let your parents and friends be proud of you — and thank them. Those in your life who have stayed with you for the past four years, supported you, endured your drunk dials, listened to your tales and given you a hug when you needed it most. Make sure to thank them all.

Good Luck!

Sincerely,
Courtney (one of the millions of graduating seniors)

But um…well…actually, it’s probably a little bit more than mild amusement. But it’s not my fault, honest. You see I have tutoring hours in the library and when no one shows up desperately asking me to explain what the Bard was rambling on about (All they really need to do is watch 10 Things I Hate You.) I’m left with nothing to do but catch up on my reading…or you know, listen in on other people’s conversation. And I can’t help it if the freshman sitting in the library basement at the table opposite me talk, really, really, loudly. And really, who wouldn’t be intrigued about “OMG. The most perfect schedule. EVER,” or how one particular girl was so thrown off by midterms week that she gave up brushing her teeth because she just didn’t have the time. Or about how one professor “totally mentions sex in every one of his lectures.”

No I am not making this stuff up. I am not that creative or gross. So yeah, as I said. These conversations are a lot more entertaining than Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit. Frankly, the guy liked to ramble on, and his writing can get a little stale.  But the freshman, they never steer me wrong. Their life altering college experience is my reality tv.

Here are just a few of my favorite freshmanism. (Yes I made that word up. It totally works though, don’t you think?)

1. The way they wear their id cards around their necks on a lanyard for the first three weeks of school. I don’t know. This could just be my college campus. But the first few weeks of school, it’s always really easy to spot the freshman because they are the ones who walk around campus wearing their id cards around their neck. Its stops after a while though, it gets thrown in your bag, you put it in your wallet, you leave it in your car. In your dorm room. Before senior year you’ve had to replace it three times already. By senior year, you’re not even sure you have an id card at all anymore.
2. The way they travel in packs. That’s the second best way to spot the freshman. They walk to class together. They go to lunch together. Of course your roommate doesn’t mind stopping by the library with you, then can you just swing by the business office with her? Don’t get me wrong, hanging with your friends is great. But by senior year, you’re lucky if you wake up in time for class, never mind waking up early enough for a group breakfast  followed by that core class you’re taking together followed by a coffee break. Followed by…you get the idea.
3. The look of pure and absolute horror that graces their faces for the entirety of midterms’ week. Now I’m the first to admit I’ve had my fair share of midterm induced panic attacks. And as a freshman, I remember the entire process being ridiculously overwhelming. But by senior year (read: when there’s so much else going on that you forget you have a midterm during the next class until your professor mentions it.) it’s not quite as stressful. You’ve survived before, and you’ll survive again
4. Their shock at how quickly the classes they want manage to fill up during registration week. The registration process is not a fun one. For anyone. But if you’re a freshman it’s particularly brutal. You’re the last register, but yet your advisers warn you of picking the perfect schedule and core requirements and classes you need to take. So you plan, and pick and you fantasize about how amazing it will be to only have class three days a week. And then you go to register. And all the classes you want are gone. And your left with the teacher ratemyprofessor.com warns against taking at all costs. Ah, memories. Cheer up, by senior year, you’ll get first pick. I promise.

So what do you think ladies? How much has changed since you were a freshman? Are you a freshman now?  Do you wish you could speed it up to senior year, or are you happy where you are?

Halloween in college is a big deal.  Major, really.  You may have thought you hit your trick-or-treating peak in the 3^rd grade when you wrapped yourself in tinfoil and went out as leftovers, but think again.  Unlike Christmas, the 4^th of July, and Thanksgiving, everyone’s on campus for this most hallowed of evenings and the booze will absolutely be flowing (perhaps in cauldrons).

From fog machines to technicolor jello shots, there’s a lot of stimuli to process and as a freshman it’s easy to get overwhelmed.  But novice or otherwise, you’ve got to keep your head, wigged or otherwise, in the game.  Here’s what you can expect as your favorite bars and frat houses become unrecognizable with silly string…

A General Lack of Pants
From dozens of Risky Business-era Tom Cruises to sexy cats/bees/fairies/mice, there will be maximum leggage come October 31^st.  I’m not sure what it is about “everyone dress up crazy” that translates to things being purely pants-optional, but it’s a fact: ass cheeks will show, cellulite will be on parade, hairy man thighs will make a one-night-only appearance.

Dry Ice
Is it edible?  Will it kill you?  Why did those stupid pledges have to go stick it in the jungle juice and ruin a perfectly good concoction?  No, it doesn’t look like witches’ brew.  And the fact that he’s 22 and just drew that connection makes you question his sanity.

Drinking on an Off-Night
This year Halloween falls on a Sunday, and though you’ll be getting Friday and Saturday usage out of your costume, you can’t retire it before the actual holiday.  So in anticipation of this three-day face painted bender, don’t be your usual procrastinating self.  Figure out what work you’ve got due Monday and do it.  Yes, this is your mother speaking.  And your econ professor.  And your better judgment.

Cops, Both Real and Fake
If you’ve seen Hocus Pocus (AKA the greatest Halloween movie of our childhoods), you’ll remember the scene where the main kid approaches what he thinks is a cop to tell him that the town’s being haunted by Sarah Jessica Parker and Bette Midler.  Well, take heed all you first-timers.  On Halloween, not all cops are real and not all seemingly fake cops are fake.  Before you pee on the side of that building or resist arrest, make sure you know what you’re dealing with.

Orange and Black Puke
More than welcome week, more than your first tailgate…November 1^st will hurt.  A lot.  And lest you forget what holiday it was you just celebrated, the orange and black Tostitos you consumed and subsequently puked up should tip you off.

Upperclassmen: Did we forget anything?

[Everyone’s got a morning after story (though most don't involve a large group of potential sorority sisters) and we wanna hear yours! Send it over to us and we’ll post it – anonymously, of course – right here!]

So one time I hooked up with a freshman. And I liked it. But I knew (or thought) it would be a one time thing.  Kind of like drinking a Venti before rush-hour was a one-time thing. Or shamelessly Googling pictures of Zac Efron. Or drinking margaritas on a Monday morning.

Yeah. Oops, I did it again.

Only this time he’s a sophomore…
And I’m about 4 months past graduation.

You’d think I would have figured these things out by now (that I’m probably too old to be prancing around the local college dive bar scoping out the sophomore scene), but I was too ignorant and curious.

He was just so sweet when I saw him.  He danced with me to my favorite Rihanna songs, bought me a Bud Light, held my hand while we stood up against the bar and made out.  His lips were just so soft and luscious.  Besides, I have been living at home for the past three months and hadn’t “gone all out” in way too long.  Like Fabolous would always say, this was my time.

Somehow, I lost him after bar close.  I was so deeply saddened, I took it upon myself to get in a taxi with some of his guy friends and go with them to their house in hopes of finding my freshman (now sophomore) there. He wasn’t. So I shamelessly texted him to find out where on earth he was. (So much for playing hard to get.) My sophomore texted me his address and before you could say ‘bad decision’ I was in a taxi (the passenger seat, mind you) cruising to the safety of my knight in shining (under)armor.

When I arrived at his house, I called him and he didn’t answer.  I had to pee. For some reason, I thought it was a good idea to take a tinkle in his bushes on the side of his house. When in college Rome, right? Anyways, once I’d finished my business (and took some extra time to drip dry) I called him again.  He said he was at another girl’s house and wouldn’t be back for an hour. I pouted, possibly started tearing up. He said just kidding and let me in. I laughed and slapped his chest. Oh em gee, he was so cute and playful!

When I was inside, he showed me his puppy. I melted into a puddle and we started madly making out in his living room. His game was just so good!  I had no recollection of any of his roommates getting ready to turn in upstairs, his whining dog, or the naked girl posters on the wall.

“Where’s your bed?” I asked him as we started to fall onto the futon.
“It’s right here, sweetheart.” He pointed to the futon.

Apparently he was one roommate too many and having him live there had violated some fire code, therefore he couldn’t “have a bedroom legally.”  Meaning, we’d be doin’ our thing in the communal living room. Awesome.

Not that I let that bother me. On the contrary, I was excited about the thrill of it all.

We made out and fooled around for a large chunk of time.  I’m serious, the last time I looked at the clock it was 6:30 AM and I could see a pile of Busch Light on the coffee table in a small sliver of sunlight. After ignoring the phone calls from my friend (who was still at the other guys’ house, locked in a guy’s bedroom and without keys…that’s another story) and going to the bathroom (in only a sweatshirt and skins), I fell asleep, spooning with my sweaty sophomore lover.

I woke up three hours later.  I had ten missed calls from my wingwoman who was an hour late for work and super pissed because I was the one who had her keys all along.  (I bought her a Starbucks later and she instantly forgave me after hearing about my night). But she was the least of my problems, because it wasn’t until waking up in the broad daylight (with a mind not altered by copious amounts of alcohol) that I realized the college nightmare I was in.

After rubbing crusties out of my eyes (carefully so as not to smear my makeup), I sat up and attempted to identify my clothing strewn all over the floor. At the same moment, my sophomore promptly flatulated on my thigh before nearly pushing me off the futon in his sleep. If that wasn’t bad enough, within my hazy vision I spotted laptops, empty Smirnoff bottles, racy Hooters posters, and a very dirty beer pong table.  Oh and, OMG, was that another girl’s thong?! I squeezed my eyes shut and threw myself under the covers as one of his roommates got up for class, then shot up from the futon (why does my body hurt so much?!), nudged the Sophomore and made him drive me home.

I do not regret my romp.  I had fun, and I am strong enough to say I’ve gotten over the minor age gap in our relationship. But, I do regret the three days after…

I was so sore, I had to re-apply Icy Hot all over my hips, thighs, and shoulders every couple hours.  I couldn’t sit on the toilet, go up the stairs, or properly maneuver myself into bed to nurse my wounds. I had bruises in mysterious places, scrapes on my hands (I’m assuming that was from my 2AM pee sesh in the alley) and two large hickeys on my neck.  To top it off, after staying up into the wee hours of the night, I inherited a mean cold due to lack of proper sleep.

It was ridiculous. I never knew dry humping could be so lethal. I’m too old for this sh*t.

[You think that's bad? Check out our other cringe-worthy Morning After stories.]

[Meet Margaret, a freshman at Yale. We've been checking in with her every week to see what she's doing, who she's meeting, and what new college surprises she's tackling (or freaking out about) as she embarks on the journey we call college. Or as I like to call it, the best thing since Trader Joe's Honey Greek Yogurt.]

Okay, so I am completely not a hippie. Let me just get that out there. Incense makes me sneeze, middle-of-the-forehead headbands make me look like an awkward boy and I own nothing made of hemp.

All that being said, I really do value the idea of finding inner peace and the feeling of “chillness.” So much so that one of my favorite teachers pegged me as the type who would go off to college and become one of those offbeat Bohemian types. Like Ashley Olsen.

And I clung to that idea—the idea that college would be a time for lots of self-pondering, free of nagging parents and 7 hour school days. I would ideally sit underneath a tree reading Whitman surrounded by perpetually tan Frisbee players and crooning guitar boys singing love songs aimed indirectly at me. And I would feel self-actualized and understand the deeper version of myself and be eternally fulfilled.

Well this little fantasy has turned out to be flat out false.

Instead of having time to myself to ruminate and think, I am constantly surrounded by people. Not that I don’t love people. The opposite is true; I feed off of others’ energies and socialize like I’m paid to do it. My second grade teacher oftentimes had to tell me to do special tasks like washing glue sticks because I would distract people from their work if I sat at the same table with them for too long.

But to be constantly surrounded by people, to be surrounded by the stressed, the tired, the angry, the lovesick, the alcoholic-who-doesn’t-realize-it-yet, the overachiever, the underachiever. . .it can all be a little overwhelming. I mean, where does time to yourself go? Where’s my me time? My alone time? My self-reflection by the tree time? Even when I used to have the time before I went to sleep to think, now that time is filled up with chats with my roommate. And those mind-clearing night walks around my neighborhood? Gone. Every safety video I’ve seen here has told me that my little habit makes me a prime target for rape.

So where does an over-stimulated freshman find time for herself? It’s taken some time but I’ve found a few quiet moments to find my inner peace:

I try to wake up early and eat breakfast. Usually not that many people eat breakfast. In order to ensure that I eat by myself, I make myself look way busier than I actually am. Typically, I’ll open a textbook or a newspaper and pretend to absorb myself in it as people walk by and soak up my solitude.

I take walks inside of campus at night. Okay so this isn’t nearly as good as walking wherever I want, but it’s still nice. And if I see a vacant bench, usually I’ll sit down and do some good thinking there.

I savor my time in the shower. A bit awkward, but showers are a nice little respite of actual alone time. And if you are in a really difficult situation where you need to talk to yourself (. . .it happens to me a lot, you guys, no judging), typically, people can’t hear you over the shower.

I kick my roommates out to the library. Not in a cruel way – more in a “I’m helping you” way. Because usually they’ll say something like “I can’t focus,” and then start talking, and then I casually suggest that the library helps with focusing. It’s okay, my roommates do it to me too.

I hang out in the laundry room. This is actually very peaceful. The whirling of the dryer cycles are kind of hypnotizing. Try it.

College brings about a lot of change and sometimes we all need a moment alone to stop and digest it all. It’s hard to find when you’re constantly surrounded by people, but look for it. It may not be under a tree in the quad, but wherever it is, you’ll be glad you found it.

Whether you’re fresh on campus or are a seasoned beer pong pro, everyone can remember the day they said goodbye to their high school friends.  It began a whole new type of LDR.  The long distance friendship (or LDF) is most common among people who have known one another for years, and are then forcefully separated by miles and ten different college towns.

Everyone wants to remain the same Popsicle-sharing, boy-loving, outfit-coordinating band of buds, so you promise to keep in touch.  Skype, AIM, gchat, Facebook…somehow you make it happen.  As you’re settling into your new dorm and meeting new people, sometimes it feels good to catch up with a familiar face.  While at first it’s all innocent I miss you’s and I’m coming to visit you’s, eventually friends start to brag.  Their cafeteria is delicious, they slept with their hot RA, they’ve made new BFFs galore.  The list usually goes on for another twenty pages, but I’ll let you just go back through your text inbox to read of the others.

Before you get down on yourself for wearily picking through mystery meat, pushing aside gray peas, and sitting with what you’re sure is the foreign exchange table, I’d like to decode your friends’ overzealous statements.  Don’t worry; they’re having a hard time adjusting, too.

What she says: “I get drunk every night.  This place is a constant party.  I love it!”
What she means: “I had too much tequila the other night and puked on my roommate’s shoes.  I’ve been hungover for three days and I never want to drink again.  End my life.”

What she says: “College is so much better than high school.  There are gorgeous guys everywhere.  It’s like a freakin’ Abercrombie catalog.  You know, back when Abercrombie was actually cool.”
What she means: “There are maybe two hot dudes on campus and they’d never talk to me.  I made out with a kid who still had braces last weekend.  I think I’ve regressed.”

What she says: “Hooked up with one of the basketball players and gave head for the first time.  I was totally amazing at it, he said I was, like, the best he’s ever had.”
What she means: “For some reason he kept saying, ‘Watch the teeth.’  Do you know what that’s supposed to mean? Huh.”

What she says: “I’m totally the most popular girl on my hall.  Everyone knows I’m where the party starts.”
What she means: “I’m where the party ends.  They call me Pukey.  Can I come home yet?”

What she says: “Chicken finger Wednesday is like my dream come true.  The food here is so good, I can’t get enough!”
What she means: “I’m totally getting fat.”

What she says: “I’m dating a total hottie.”
What she means: “I’m dating that kid with braces I never told you about.”

To help you do it right, we’ve got some advice for your first tailgate. So follow the guidelines below and get ready to party hardy.

Stick With a Crew

It’s always a good idea for girls to stay with a group of friends when they go out. When it comes to tailgating, multiply a party’s noise level by 20 and the guest list by 100. Try and keep track of each other so you don’t find yourself alone in a sea of school spirit and booze.

Plan Ahead

While I’m all for spontaneity, a tailgate day is one of those times that calls for a little preparation. Know what time you’re meeting up with your friends and what time you’re heading to the tailgate. And even if you skip breakfast every other day, make an exception on this day because drinking on an empty stomach will really screw you over. If you really want to be a champ and go out at night too, leave some time to nap. Trust me, you’ll need it.

Dress Comfortably

At a tailgate, you’ll be in a huge crowd and on your feet for a few hours, so keep the outfit simple. Denim shorts, a school t-shirt, and flats or sandals are a perfect go-to. Go all out with face paint, ribbons, and beads in your school colors and you’ll be good to go.

And Wear Your Sunscreen

Even if your school colors are red and white, let your clothes show your support, not your precious skin.

Heads Up

For some reason, some people feel the need to throw cups or beer cans when they get drunk. So keep an eye out. Go ahead and laugh at this advice, but don’t come crying to me when you’re nearly decapitated by a Natty Light.

Don’t Be a Hot Mess

You gotta go big or go home when it comes to day drinking. But be careful not to cross that line from “feel good” drunk to “it’s a really good idea to dance on the hood of this car” drunk. Most of the student body will be at the tailgate, and they will remember your drunken antics if you make a fool of yourself. Even worse, you could end up passed out in your room (or on a sidewalk somewhere) before the game even starts! For your own safety and dignity, keep your intoxication within limits.

Needless to say, the first days of college have been treating me well.

After a month of worrying over whether my roommates and I would get along, I now believe that whoever does rooming assignments has some sort of magical touch because while we 4 are not best friends (does anyone really have a best friend after 5 days?) we do get along curiously well and sometimes I feel myself falling into Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants or Sex and the City mode… especially after we all bonded over some fro yo last night.

The question is: am I in a college-themed chick flick?

Possibly. The floor below and above us is dotted with various cute boys with whom we flirt and our dorm room kinda looks like PBTeen threw up in it… in a good way. Lax bros chill on campus in lax pennies and backwards lax caps in lawn chairs (can we just call them lax chairs?). Growing up in a lax-bro-less suburb, I really thought that they were a myth, but I am now a firm believer. And lax bros (despite being majorly douchey) are hot.

But all that aside, campus is incredibly gorgeous and full of like-minded people sunbathing in the grass while others Frisbee about. And the birds are chirping and I never have breakouts and my hair looks like The Little Mermaid’s lux locks every day. OK, that last part is a lie – my hair still hasn’t gotten used to the water in these showers yet. If only, right?

At times, life isn’t exactly the land of Elle Woods here (which, until I got here, was totally what I expected). For example, I’ve learned to not expect too much out of frat parties that are advertised via a college-wide emailing. They will inevitably be so crowded that you have no room to dance nor can you find alcohol, and unless you actually know people in the frat (which I feel like most freshmen here don’t), you just feel out of place. Also the people there are generally other people who got the email and had nothing better to go to—aka freshman who are trying hard to get their social lives on track. Desperate people are no fun.

But I mean, it is only the first week of college and everyone is kinda desperate to make friends, and I’m sure parties will get better as time comes. (And as consolation, the suite parties that I’ve been to are much smaller and much more fun.)

Meanwhile, the other question on my mind is the whole hooking up side of life. I mean, we’re not in high school anymore; condoms are in the hallways for a reason, right? In high school, hooking up meant making out, but in college does it automatically transfer to having sex? I feel like so much more is expected out of hooking up here. Do I just go with the flow or do I do the Oprah-style “right” thing and listen to my heart? The answer should be obvious, but it’s not.

In fact, nothing about this new college life is.

My first week of college has been jam-packed with new people, new experiences and a whole slew of new questions. It’s been exciting and exhilarating, but I just can’t wait to really settle in to the college life and have everything figured out.

Tell me about your first few days of college!