I am a planner. Meaning, when I wake up I need to know my exact schedule for the day. 9:00 a.m.? History lecture. 10:00 a.m.? Calculus test. 12:30 p.m.? I'll make my way to the dining hall with the two people I always eat with and, of course, I've already checked the university website, so I know exactly what I'm getting. Does it sound crazy? Maybe a little, but I'm sure many people operate in the same fashion that I do. Therefore, when something doesn't go my way or the way I thought it should have, I tend to freak out. Even though I know eating lunch an hour later doesn't really matter, it still bothers me.
Maybe you're someone who doesn't freak out over small changes like me. Maybe you feel this way when bigger changes occur. Like, moving to a new city, transferring to a new high school, or finding out your grandparents are moving 5,000 miles away. The point is, change is a large part of life that sometimes cannot be controlled.
It is normal to feel discomfort when you're thrown into a new environment. However, instead of feeling overwhelmed you should embrace the new opportunities and adventures you are about to embark on.
If the changes are daily things that happen, remind yourself that these little changes really do not matter in the grand scheme of your life. The dining hall menu isn't serving the weekly Sunday night pizza? There's really no point in getting worked up about it because it's not life-changing. You will go on without the pizza tonight.
If the change is huge. Maybe you're moving into college. The anticipation the month before move in is a common feeling. You have spent hours in Bed Bath and Beyond finding the perfect comforter, matching different color schemes, and looking at cute picture frames to make your dorm room feel a little more like home. Just think of all of the great things you are going to do within the next four years. You're going to learn so much about yourself and other people. You're going to make friends that last a lifetime. Maybe you'll discover that you love to dance and join the dance team. Or that the outdoors truly amaze you and the outdoor club is your calling. Just know that everything is going to be OK and everything is going to work out. It's very irrational and a waste of time to think it won't.
Adapting and adjusting is a part of life. You will be so much happier if you take a second to breathe and tell yourself that change is good. Without change you would not be able to grow and learn from your past. Learn to love change because it's all around you.
