As summer is flying by and August has come, I can't even escape from the thought of school while asleep (seriously, I've been dreaming about classes and homework deadlines). And, as I worry about myself, expenses, and how I'm going to eat this semester, I can't help but think about the incoming freshmen.
College was an enormous change for me. Yes, I'd been away from home before, and I had a few AP classes and college courses under my belt, so what was making me so uneasy? Well, a lot actually considering I can get very anxious. But for me the biggest thing, the biggest insecurity was the fact that I was away from all my friends for three-fourths of the year. I'm not the type of person to have tons of people to hang out with and talk to. I had a handful of people who I had bonded with closely over the time span of a few, or more than a few (looking at you Toria), years. With that in mind, there was NO WAY I was going to make that kind of friend in one semester. So, my first piece of advice is that you shouldn't try to. You may want to cling to the first "squad" you make, but in reality, they might get tired of you (or you them) if you spend time with only them. Also, they will never compare to your at home friends, so don't put them in a side-by-side comparison. Friends will come and go and the best thing you can do is get out to events and talk to your classmates before class starts. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and join some clubs.
If you thought mom's leftovers were bad, you won't be able to handle heading down to the dining hall and seeing dry, under-seasoned hamburgers, crusty bean burritos, the greenest you've ever seen a banana served, and the stir fry line ten people strong (and getting longer). The best part of college is either tour day, because they make the food extra extra good (and put out PINEAPPLE), or getting to go home to real food. Hope to God that you brought more than granola bars and Ramen and, even better, that maybe some of your dorm mates like cooking. Bring potatoes and spaghetti. Bring fruits and vegetables. Bring something you can actually make, not just those microwave TV dinners. I promise that you'll be happy to have variety when, all of a sudden, it's the weekend everyone visits home but you.
Speaking of going home and being lonely, let's talk about long-distance relationships. Some people, like me, don't mind too much. I visit home about once a month, he'll visit me once a semester and there's always Skype every night. Other people will literally end their relationship before they leave to avoid the conflict. In my opinion, if your relationship is firmly established or "going steady,” I would suggest sticking it out. Yes, there are going to be hundreds of guys at college, but it wound be the same situation when you left for home or worse when you both graduated. Now this isn't to say that you shouldn't date within your college. By all means, go at it. All I'm saying is relationships in college are going to be strained no matter what and it's up to you and your significant other to figure out what will work.
Last but not least, I'm going to talk about stress because there sure is a lot of it. There are papers due all on the same day, professors seeming unapproachable, friends seeming distant, a long line when you really wanted Moe's, and it started pouring right before you got out of class (without your umbrella). My advice to you is to bring things along that will comfort you. Bring a coloring book, the stuffed animal you've had since you were two, candles or the scented melting wax (if your college allows you to have these items), incense, or anything else that calms you. You will get stressed, you will get overwhelmed and you will cry. It's perfectly fine to stop and have a breakdown as long as you have those calming things to help pull you out of it. A few times, it's pulled me out of the writer's block I was panicking over. So don't get over your stress. Confront it, accept it and conquer it.
I might not have given you the answers you were looking for, but trust me, they'll be the ones you need. College can be scary, but the most important thing to remember is to have fun. Do things you enjoy often whether you're going for a walk, playing some games with friends, going to the gym, or watching something on Netflix. All work and no play will definitely drive you crazy. Good luck to you all! And don't forget to call home!
