College...

[Piglet-]

I know people say you "change" in college, but what exactly is change?
Future aspirations? Personality?

[pytsip]

It's hard to explain, because really its different for everyone. The things that I've noticed from people that I graduated high school with is that they are more independent, they are less petty about things, and they have a broader view on life. It's a chance to get rid of the bad influences in your life and keep the good ones. If you're worried about your relationship, I wouldn't, it's not any drastic changes usually, and it's always for the better. If your SO is a positive influence in your life and you are the same in theirs, your relationship will be able to survive.

[Yaaamiii]

Yep, I wouldn't worry too much about this. I worried about the same thing when we were both entering our freshman year of college, especially because I was going to a community college for a year and my SO was going out of state. I was so afraid he would come back an entirely new person. Some people do because of the friends they choose in college. Sometimes you change in the sense that you mature more, you tend to change your views on life a bit because in college you meet all kinds of people with different views and different opinions about things. It shouldn't be a drastic change though. My SO changed during that first year in college, but it wasn't HUUUGE. He was still the same guy I had fallen so in love with, just more matured and opened minded. It really depends on the person though, and their environment.