Having sex for the first time is a pretty big deal—and while losing your virginity can be the subject of a lot of excitement, but it can also carry feelings of fear or anxiety. Mostly, though, it's hard to imagine what sex will actually be like when it happens— beyond what you learned in sex education class. That's why we talked to 24 people to find out exactly what losing their virginity was like—and what they wished they'd known going in. Before we dive into their real-life experiences, let's set the record straight when it comes to what virginity is.