College students often feel at the time that they are completely overloaded with work and barely getting through (in some cases that is true, especially students who are working or non-traditional). But looking back, it is pretty clear that although I worked hard in school, I could have worked so much harder, and also that never in my life again will I be in an environment that was so _supportive_ of just learning. Not just in classes; in fact, my college experience was _especially_ supportive things learned outside of classes. And also, at 20, 21, 22 -- there are very good reasons those are the traditional college years. Our brains are just able to _soak_ up ideas so quickly at that age. They aren't wise, they can't necessarily integrate everything, but we are _sharp_ then! (Usually...)
I am also a commercial developer; I work full-time during the summer to pay for college. My expectations don't really change much. Of course, everyone has different expectations.
