Freshman Again: Things you learn your second time around

I've now had the privilege of being a freshman at two very excellent schools: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) and Cornell University. These two experiences, four years apart, have taught me some valuable lessons about being at the bottom rung of a totem pole--and surprisingly,  the basics of those lessons hasn't really changed. Here's some examples.

The artwork gets weirder

• As a freshman at TJ, you envy the upperclassmen who know how to drive. In college, you envy the upperclassmen who know how to use public transport.
• As a freshman at TJ, you learn freshman biology. In college, you learn the exact same biology but you pay two hundred dollars for the textbook.
• As a freshman at TJ, when you loose at football, you rationalize that at least your players are smarter than the opponents. In college, you get your butts kicked by Harvard.
• As a freshman at TJ, the first thing they teach you to do in a research project is look at books in your subject. In college, you actually have to do this. 
• As a freshman at TJ, you can't wait to watch your first R-rated movie. In college, you get exited when you learn the local cinema is showing 'The Lorax'.
• As a freshman at TJ, you learn drinking coffee is the best way to stay awake until 2am to work on your IBET paper. In college, you learn that drinking coffee is the best way to stay awake until 2am so you can party. 
• As a freshman at TJ, you ask people where in NoVA they're from. In college, you ask people where in the world they're from.
• As a freshman at TJ, your class is over fifty percent Asian-American. In college, your class is sixteen percent Asian-American, and everyone says they can't believe how many Asian kids they see.
• As a freshman at TJ, you wonder if anyone on campus drinks. In college, you wonder if anyone on campus doesn't.
• As a freshman at TJ, you think eighth period is the coolest. In college, you have less than four hours of class a day.
• As a freshman at TJ, you're so busy that you never have time to clean your room. In college, your mother doesn't get so annoyed she'll do it for you.
• As a freshman at TJ, playing sports means you have to work out carpools. In college, you don't need a carpool, but you'll do laundry twice as often.
• As a freshman at TJ, you'll get used to having hour long bus rides. In college, your bus ride is only three blocks long, but still takes an hour because you stop so much.
• As a freshman at TJ, you wish you could eat as much junk food as you want. In college, there's all-you-can-eat sushi, burgers, wings, nachos, and pizza, and you'd kill for a home-cooked meal.
• As a freshman at TJ, there's going to be a few annoying kids in your IBET you can't get rid of. In college, those annoying kids live in your dorm.
• As a freshman at TJ, your overnight trip with school friends is the funnest thing ever. In college, you're stuck on a giant overnight trip with all your friends and it's really hard to study.
• As a freshman at TJ, you procrastinate by playing Bubble Spinner. In college, you procrastinate by working on your blog.
• As a freshman at TJ, you join clubs like Dungeons and Dragons and Stonecutters. In college, you join clubs like the Women's Guild of Engineers and slack off with your friends.
• As a freshman at TJ, you can't wait until you go to college. In college, you can't wait to get home and see all your friends from TJ.