The time has finally come. Just a few months ago, you were considered a child. You were filled with hope and angst, and the idea of college seemed like a far-away dream. Somehow, you've suddenly ended up on campus feeling like a miniscule fish in a gargantuan pond. How will you get by? Who will be there to pick you up when times get hard? Who will you sit with at dinner? So many questions are jumping around in your brain like kernels in a popcorn machine. Rest your worried mind.
When your parents walk through the door of your dorm room for the last time, you will be achingly alone. If you haven't already met your roommate, the still silence between the four walls will overwhelm you. You will want to cry, but you'll be interrupted by a knock at the door. A voice will say, "Hey, did you want to come grab some food with us? A couple of us on the floor are going. What's your name?" You will go, and it'll be awkward at first. Everyone will say where they're from, what their major is, and some drawn out story of how awesome their high school experiences were. Don't be nervous. I'll let you in on a small secret, you'll all be feeling the same way: scared, alone and trying to get by. This meal will make you feel a bit more comfortable. Your meal buddies will be new faces to recognize in a sea of unfamiliarity. One of them will most likely turn out to be your best friend.
Classes will seem overwhelming at first. You've never seen a ten-page syllabus in your life, but it will be the only thing that you can rely on in the class. It has every date for each exam and essay that is due, and your lesson plans will be outlined as well. Take a breath of relief. The person who sits next to you will smile and make a funny joke about the professor, and you'll be chatty pals until finals week. Your professors will seem intimidating, and some of them are. There is no way around it. However, most of them are human, and they will help you out if you put in the work. This is college after all. When you get your first "A" on an exam, it'll be one of the most rewarding feelings in your life thus far- because you will have earned it.
There will be periods between assignments when you'll have plenty of free time. You'll want to waste in all on Netflix, but don't. There are hundreds of clubs on campus that are dying to have you join. From Greek Life to student government to jobs on campus, you can find your purpose. Not only will you gain so much more insight about yourself, but you will be giving back to the campus that you'll come to love. You'll have many chances to make adult decisions, so why not start with some productive ones?
You'll find yourself fighting bouts of depression. Your family and childhood friends will seem like they are light years away, but you're not missing out on much. Most likely, almost all of your friends are at school as well. No one will be home to carry on your old traditions until breaks. Time stands still, and it will pick back up where it left off upon your return. Your family will miss you just as much, and your younger siblings and friends will look up to you as a role model. You'll make them proud. If you're ever feeling blue, your four best friends that you've acquired by now will be waiting in your room with a good movie and greasy food. Let them love you.
As time goes on, the door to your room will be open. You'll have casual conversation with anyone who walks by, as you'll know all of your floormates by now. The calls home will become less frequent, and your weekend plans will fill up a calendar for months to come. You'll find your niche. Constant loneliness will become a thing of the past; you will feel needed by everyone. Every club and organization will pull you in all directions, but you'll love every minute of it. You'll meet people that are meant to teach you lessons, and some will become your family. While on breaks, you'll yearn for your campus- all of it.
I know that right now, you feel scared. That's exactly how you should feel. It means that you're uncomfortable, and being uncomfortable forces you into the beautiful journey of growth. The next three years will go by in a flash, and you do not want dwell on what could've been the best time of your life. Be ready to embrace the change, and all doors will open in your journey to the future.
