College isn’t only an institution for higher learning, but also a young adult’s parentless haven for self-realization and growth.

Patricia Weitz’s novel, “”College Girl,”” gives a brutally honest portrayal of Natalie Bloom, a – you guessed it – college girl, who goes through just that.

Although Natalie is socially awkward, she thinks she has her life the way she wants it. She resents frats and the guys within them, and instead leans on her perfect GPA and obsessive routine that revolves around her Russian history books and the library.

But life can’t always be so scheduled and predictable.

All it took was one bad person, and all of a sudden Natalie wasn’t as stable as she thought. Her life barrels down the wrong path, and she quickly loses sight of herself and her goals.

The issues Natalie faces in “”College Girl”” are real and easy to relate to, but somehow there is a lack of depth that results in a novel that doesn’t evoke very much emotion.

Rating: *** 1/2