Perception vs. Reality: Freshman Year

By Steve

We asked a few college sophomores to give Perception vs. Reality scenarios about their freshman year.

Perception: I am not interested in the Greek system. It’s just set up to give upperclassmen the chance to haze freshmen.
Reality: When I got to school, I wanted to pledge so badly because I saw how much fun the frats and sororities were having. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that they do haze freshmen.

Perception: In high school, I wouldn’t study for more than an hour for anything and I’d wait until the night before to start. I figured I’d have to study maybe two hours or so more than that in college.
Reality: I found out I was entirely wrong after I took my first round of exams [Editor's note: For most college classes, your entire grade depends on one or two exams]. I ended up having to study about six or seven hours to get decent grades.

Perception: With the school being right on the beach, I knew I would probably spend more time there than I would studying. And I knew I was going to party a lot when I came to a big school.
Reality: I go to the beach almost every day and spend more time surfing than I do studying. We party at least three times a week. There is always somebody who has time to hang out, no matter what day of the week it is.

Perception: Hooking up with random girl is going to be awesome because you will probably never see them again, so you get to avoid awkwardness!
Reality: I found that, somehow, you always seem to run into them, even though your campus is huge and you had never crossed paths before.

Perception: Princeton Review gave Oregon the No. 1 spot in the ‘Dorms Like Dungeons’ category. My hall was designed by a prison architect. I was expecting the situation to be as miserable as possible.
Reality: This actually works out really well because no one wants to sit in their room. When the weather is nice, Oregon kids can be seen all over ‘ hiking, cliff- jumping and hanging out at the many surrounding lakes.

Perception: EARTHLINGS, PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DEMISE! YOUR PUNY WEAPONS ARE NO MATCH FOR SOPHISTICATED WEAPONRY. PREPARE THE ASAULT, MY LEGIONS! WE MUST REPLENISH!
Reality: Art history was a bad idea. The class was less about interpretation and more about historical influences. I found myself a little bored.