Bad food, challenging classes and overbearing roommates.

That about sums up what most high school seniors fear about their upcoming college experience. But Thursday, a group of Bend High students had their worries eased after a visit from some of their former classmates who have successfully made the transition to college.

“I feel like people always say college is so hard,” said Janey Farina, a 2012 Bend High graduate. “But I felt like the (International Baccalaureate) program was harder. Everyone at school talks about how hard the classes are, but I’m like, ‘I’ve already done this. I did this for two years in high school.’”

Thursday morning, about 50 recent Bend High graduates visited classes at their old high school to talk to outgoing seniors about college. The college students, all of whom were back in Bend for winter break, attend schools across the U.S., and brought some of their experiences back home to their former classmates.

“I just hope (the seniors) get a more personalized view of college,” Katie Taylor, a 2012 graduate of Bend High who now attends Middlebury College in Vermont, said. “Before I went, it was all kind of abstract for me. There was a lot to it that I didn’t know about.”

Students packed into Pandie Anderson’s classroom Thursday morning to hear four former Bend High students share some tips about college life. As most of the students in the class were International Baccalaureate diploma candidates, the four college returnees spoke specifically about how the diploma helped them in their current situations.

“I think the IB program can be incredibly demanding and overwhelming,” Anderson, who acts as the school’s IB coordinator, said. “It’s important for students to see that it can help them go a long way.”

Farina, who now attends Harvard University, said that despite her new school’s rigorous course load, she’s felt it’s not as demanding as her Bend High classes.

Not everyone on the panel agreed . Taylor said her experience has been more challenging.

“The workload is crazy at Middlebury,” Taylor said. “Plus, the tests are geared a lot more toward multiple choice.”

Taylor did say she felt the IB program prepared her for college.

Perhaps what piqued the high school students’ interest the most were the living arrangements and food situation at each graduate’s respective college. Many students were surprised by 2012 Bend High graduate Wes Brown’s account of food at his Oregon State University fraternity.

“The food is delicious,” Brown said. “We get a personal chef at the fraternity, and it’s great to come back from a long day of class to a good meal.”

Students were also interested to hear about their former classmates’ living situation.

At Harvard, Farina has four roommates with whom she shares housing. She told students she gets along well with all of her roommates. However, coming back home for winter break has had its advantages.

“I can actually sleep and there’s real food in the fridge,” Farina said. “It’s awesome.”

In terms of advice for the outgoing seniors, most of the graduates had the same message.

“Just work hard and keep on keepin’ on,” Taylor said. “Get all your work done and don’t stress about it.”

The session provided some encouragement for some students in the class.

“We’re always told that IB will help in college,” Sam Rastovich, a Bend High senior, said. “But it was good hearing it from them. It’s troubling right now to be doing all this work, but it’s nice to know that it pays off.”

“I don’t feel as stressed about college now,” Ethan Harlig, 16, said.

— Reporter: 541-383-0354,mkehoe@bendbulletin.com