Molly O’Connor/Winonan

The life of a college student is often portrayed as a somewhat socially glamorous lifestyle, with endless party opportunities and classes on the side while surrounded by great friends.

Although the stereotypes of college hold true to an extent, the college lifestyle that has been illustrated for incoming freshmen can often lead to unrealistic expectations of what life at a university is really like.

So how many of these stereotypes rub off on the incoming freshmen, and how do they affect their expectations for the next four years of their lives?

Winona State University freshman Kevin Kendrick gave his insight on what he thought college life would be like and what he suspected the future would hold at the university.

Kendrick shared his reasons for picking Winona State, stating that it seemed like a “friendly campus that wasn’t too difficult to maneuver around,” and concluding that it “looked like fun.”

Since he has started attending college as a full-time student, Kendrick’s perspectives have morphed slightly.

Kendrick listed his expectations and thoughts on how he had originally assumed his time at college would be spent, which included general concerns for college life, and how they had already changed within the first week of class.
“I was expecting it to be a little less busy, a more quiet campus,” he said. “But it’s fine the way it is.”

Kendrick’s first week also exceeded his expectations in some ways. “I was also expecting dorm life to be a little less close-knit and friendly, so I was pleasantly surprised by that,” he said.

As for the future, Kendrick shared his biggest concern for what being an upperclassman would mean for him. “In regards to homework, I think it will be less busy work but more studying than the workload expected in high school. When you’re a junior or a senior, you’ll have more work to do, but I think I’ll have mastered the study habits to keep up with it.”

“I see it as harder work, but it would be manageable with an established routine,” he said.

Kendrick’s expectations were not too far off from what senior Conlan Carter experienced in his years of being a Winona State student.

Far from the media’s partying college image, reflecting back to his freshman year, Carter said he was under the assumption that college was going to be a lot of work.

“I thought it was going to be studying all the time and that it would be really overwhelming,” he said. “And it is.”

Even then, he wasn’t completely prepared. “Honsetly, I didn’t think I’d be working as much as I have in college,” he said. But college for Carter wasn’t all homework and no social life.

When asked about how his own expectations had shifted into the reality of being an upperclassman, Carter shared his thoughts on the importance of making social connections and focusing on personal success and failure.

“I guess making as many friends as possible, and meeting the professors is really helpful. It goes a long way,” he said.

“College is definitely all on you when it comes down to success or failure. It gives you a better understanding of yourself, which is extremely important.”

When asked if he had any advice for the new students of Winona State, Carter’s advice for the freshman class was to merely make an effort. “Try. If something interests you, go for it. Figure out what you want and what works best for you.”

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