Alloy Entertainment: Congrats on Season 5! What has been the most gratifying change for you as an actress now that Caroline is starting college?
Candice Accola: What I actually really love [about Season 5] is that we’ve gotten to see Caroline become wiser, stronger, and more independent throughout the last few years. However, when we come into the new season, she’s actually none of those things — she’s a bit insecure and uncomfortable in her new environment.

Alloy Entertainment: Will we be seeing a different side to Caroline?
Candice Accola: Yes. She’s distracting herself. She’s very anxious. She’s controlling. And she’s not excited as she usually is about trying new things. Going into college for Caroline means having the perfect dorm room, having Tyler there right by her side, and having her dream suite mates — which would be Elena, Caroline and Bonnie all in one room having the time of their lives. And none of that is adding up. She doesn’t know where Bonnie is. She can’t get a hold of Tyler. Her college experience is not going the way she had planned it in her mind. We’re actually seeing a little bit of Caroline from when we first met her at the beginning of the series.

Alloy Entertainment: That’s a bit sad to hear — Caroline is always the life of the party! What advice would you give Caroline about making the most of her time on campus?
Candice Accola: I would want her to let go of her preconceived notions about what the ideal college experience should be. But then that would be a little too easy and not as intriguing, so I actually hope, for the viewers’ sake (laughs), that Caroline makes a lot of mistakes and takes accountability for them. I want her to go out and meet new people — to get scared about trying an activity completely out of comfort zone but does so anyway. She’ll find herself in a few pickles so it’s going to be interesting watching her deal with that.

Alloy Entertainment: Speaking of meeting new people, what’s the deal with the campus cutie Jesse?
Candice Accola: One of the great things about entering the college years is that we’re going to meet a whole bunch of new characters. Jesse is one of them. He’s a very attractive male who also happens to be attending the same college as Caroline and Elena. They’ll have a few run-ins and interactions during the premiere.

Alloy Entertainment: Will he and Caroline become friends or is this guy looking to cause trouble?
Candice Accola: Well, Caroline is really focused on just getting Tyler back so she’s not looking at other guys. Elena is actually the one who is enthusiastic and happy and pushing Caroline with “C’mon. Let’s go out!” Caroline though would rather mope around. Usually, Elena is a bit more somber and serious but, when they move to Whitmore, she becomes the light bulb in the room while Caroline is the opposite of that. [However], it’s fun to see the two girls interacting with boys when they’re both in such different states of mind.

Alloy Entertainment: We can’t wait to see Caroline and Elena as roommates. They’ve known each other for so long but, when you live with another person, you get to know more about their personal habits and vices. Should we expect any tension between them?
Candice Accola: There won’t be too much tension…yet. The writers haven’t played up too many moments of, “Oh you moved my lamp…how dare you!” (Laughs) The thing is, Caroline and Elena have grown up with one another and have known each other since birth. They grew up in the same neighborhood and their parents were friends, so they kind of know everything there is to know about each other at this point. There wouldn’t really be any surprises. Will there be conflicts though? Sure. Luckily for them, it’s not rooted in any petty misunderstandings.

Alloy Entertainment: If you were rooming with them, what would your cardinal rule be? Sort of like, “I want us all to get along, but please don’t do this very annoying thing?”
Candice Accola: My rules would be rather selfish ones. I’m very protective over my food. I know that sounds weird but it’s true. (Laughs.) Maybe it’s because I’ve lived by myself for so long, but if I have food set aside and know when I’m specifically going to eat it, you better not touch it. I also always like the last bite [of my meal] and my friends know — they just know — that they’re allotted a certain amount of time to ask me to try it. And if they miss that time frame, then they do not get a taste. It’s something that we laugh about. That would be it. (Pauses.) Oh, and my DVR! I’m very committed to it.

Alloy Entertainment: Do you have a lot of Walking Dead episodes and vampire shows recorded on there?
Candice Accola:Yes, but lately I’ve been a more into fun dramas. I just finished the first season of Nashville and I would be very upset if my roommates came in and deleted it off my DVR.

Alloy Entertainment: So while there won’t be any major roommate drama, we do know there’s some craziness happening in Mystic Falls. Bonnie is dead and Silas is masquerading as Stefan. Will Elena and Caroline realize that something is amiss sooner rather than later? Or will they be too involved with classes and campus activities to realize?
Candice Accola: Elena and Caroline will definitely be in touch with their friends and family in Mystic Falls, and they’re still going to be connected to all the drama with Stefan and Bonnie. They’re going to recognize that something is off and grow suspicious as to why Bonnie is not returning their calls. However, they also caught up in this new life. After all, we’ve seen [Bonnie and Stefan] disappear for a couple of episodes, and it’s not as though they vanished into the blue. They’ve simply gone off to stay with their dad or their mom, go on a vacation, or even to take some time to themselves. We haven’t seen Bonnie in every single episode. We haven’t even seen Caroline in every single episode either. So, it’s probable that these characters go away for a spell and that Caroline and Elena assume they’re traveling and that all is good and well.

Alloy Entertainment: Will Caroline also get to enjoy a getaway trip of her own in the upcoming months? Perhaps to visit Klaus in New Orleans during spring break?
Candice Accola: (Laughs) Spring break? That’s a great idea! The writers have left that storyline open — very apparently open — with the way they closed out Caroline and Klaus’s “relationship.” So there’s always the possibility for a crossover. Is there anything coming up soon? No. Right now I think they’re trying to establish The Originals as its own series. Also, Klaus has a handful with a baby on the way while Caroline is a little more focused on what classes she’s going to sign up for. Something might happen in the future between them, but not at the current moment.

Alloy Entertainment: Speaking of classes, can you tease anything about Caroline’s interactions with Dr. Wes Maxfield? It seems so odd to picture Caroline sign up for a science lecture course.
Candice Accola: It’s very unlike Caroline to enroll in a biology course, and we’re going to learn more about her decision to do so. It’s definitely not something she’s ever expressed interest in. And this mysterious professor is not just giving her and Elena a hard time over their tests scores and whatnot. He has a personal agenda and some tricks up his sleeve outside of the classroom.