Navigating College Life: Expectations vs. Reality

This week, Alyssa welcomes both daughters — Nadia and Lucy. Lucy was last on the podcast before college, so this episode is a real check-in now that she’s a sophomore in her first co-op. It’s part of the college/post-grad series, but with a twist: Lucy is still in it, offering a fresh, in-the-moment perspective.

Lucy opens up about her college experience versus expectations — which she barely had. That lack of a fixed idea may have helped. The conversation then shifts to college admissions, with both sisters sharing how they didn’t get into their top choices — Middlebury and Berkeley for Lucy, UCSB for Nadia — but ended up at Northeastern and truly love it. The takeaway feels real, not cliché: you land where you’re meant to be.

They dive into what makes Northeastern work. For Lucy, it’s the flexibility — study abroad, co-ops, and a driven environment. For Nadia, it’s how learning extends beyond the classroom and pushes her into new experiences. Alyssa shares the quiet relief of having both daughters at the same school, knowing they have each other.

The tone shifts as they talk about exhaustion. Alyssa is dealing with jet lag from Japan, Lucy from a packed weekend, and Nadia from juggling co-op, gymnastics, MCAT prep, and life. Nadia admits her MCAT prep isn’t where it should be, but she’s not panicking — she’s adjusting.

The episode closes with Alyssa asking Lucy about life after college. Her answer is open and unforced: let co-ops guide her, stay open to grad school, and explore political science. And in a callback to two years ago, she still half-jokes — maybe she’ll run for president.

Takeaways

- Going into college without rigid expectations can actually protect you from disappointment — and leave room for genuine surprise

- Not getting into your top school isn't a detour; for a lot of people it turns out to be exactly the right road

- The schools you didn't get into have a way of fading once you find your people and your rhythm where you are

- Co-op doesn't just pad a resume — it fundamentally changes how you understand your own interests and career options

- Having a sibling at the same school is less dramatic than it sounds, and more quietly meaningful than you'd expect

- Being tired isn't always a sign something's wrong — sometimes it just means you're doing a lot of things that matter to you

- The pressure of MCAT prep, competition season, and trying to have a social life doesn't have to be managed perfectly — sometimes you just recalibrate

- Letting your early work experiences guide your post-grad direction is a legitimate strategy, not a lack of ambition

- It's okay to hold grad school as a maybe rather than a plan — you can apply for jobs first and see what actually calls to you

- Staying open to pivots, even when you're mid-path, is one of the most useful things you can do in your early twenties

Chapters

0:10–1:23 — Welcome Back Lucy: The First In-the-Middle-of-It-All Guest

1:23–3:12 — What College Has Actually Been Like vs. What Lucy Expected

3:12–7:18 — College Admissions Advice: Top Schools, Gut Feelings, and Ending Up Where You're Supposed To Be

7:18–11:28 — Why Northeastern? The One-Reason Question Neither Sister Can Answer in One Reason

11:28–15:02 — Going to the Same School as Your Sibling: Less of a Big Deal, More of a Quiet Comfort

15:02–18:30 — Being Far from Home: Family Closeness, Missing California, and the Value of This Window

18:30–22:30 — All Three Are Tired: Jet Lag, Co-op, Competition Weekends, and 3 AM Texts

22:30–26:20 — Nadia on MCAT Prep, Not Enough Time, and the Honest State of Things

26:20–29:41 — Lucy on Post-Grad: Co-ops, Political Science, Grad School Maybe, and Running for President

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