It will be off to Whitmore College for Elena and Caroline on The Vampire Diaries Season 5.

But don't expect freshman year to be filled with keg stands and beer pong, a new article makes clear, as E! Online reports that these Mystic Falls favorites will experience the death of a classmate early on this fall.

But "with mourning comes potential romance," a network source teases. For whom, though?

We know that Elena and Damon will be going strong when we next see them (following a summer-long time jump) and we know the series has already cast a love interest for Caroline.

Still, this insider goes on to say that viewers will soon meet Aaron, a handsome college student who has some kind of connection to the dearly departed... and may make a connection of a different kind to either Caroline or Elena.

The Vampire Diaries Season 5 premieres on Thursday, October 3.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.