When you complete your higher education, not only will you earn a certificate, you'd have also gained some priceless experiences in life.

For example...

1. Some people are just totally uncooperative. You'll experience this when you have to work with project group mates from hell. Don't bother trying to reason with them.

2. Being independent in your learning is harder than you think. You won't be spoon-fed your lessons anymore. You've got to study on your own. That's a lot harder than you think.

3. You may not make a lot of friends. That being said, don't expect to hang out in the same, consistent clique like you did in secondary school. You're going to meet a lot more people in different modules, but not all of them will be your good friend.

4. Some people still use grades as benchmark of success. That's when they'll flaunt their 'A's in your face and get totally shocked when you score any lower than that. And yep. Your character will be judged that way.

5. Yet, you're still controlled by grades. Because you need to pass to graduate. Whatever your views on school and education are, you have to study and pass still.

6. Secondary school-like nonsense still happens. You've got your bad vibes from others as somebody doesn't like his or her face and gossip is still pretty much everywhere.

7. You may not learn anything in class. Because like, you have no interest in the module at all, and you're pretty much there as you heard it was easy. You just want the credits.

8. You may surprisingly miss your army days. Since it was just pretty much booking in, booking out and generally not using your brains much. And using your brains to study again? That hurts.

9. Some people are just plain unhelpful. Because… grades and stuff. Don't expect them to help you. Human decency does not exist in some people.

10. You can pass an entire module without attending a single lecture. Very possible. I've done it myself many times.

11. A long break in-between classes doesn't really feel like a break at all. You'll be bored, listless and lethargic. You're also in the dilemma of whether you should go home.

12. Going around in a circle to introduce oneself in tutorial is a necessary evil. So tedious. So boring. So nervous. So annoying. Yet, it's kind of entertaining.

13. You still won't get enough sleep.

14. Happiness doesn't come with good grades. No longer are other people going to shower you with accolades just because you did well. Not even your parents. You're going to learn this lesson as you go along. You need to step it up and open up to life outside of school.

15. You aren't graded based on how hard you study or how well you did on the test. Welcome to the bell curve!

16. Some professors don't give a shit. As in, their lessons aren't exactly based on the learning materials and they just like to talk about other things. It can be fun, but don't expect to learn anything for the exams.

Top photo from here

Find Mothership.SG on Facebook and Twitter.