Although two months may seem like a long time, before you know it you will begin the next chapter of your life. You may have chosen to commute to a local college, or are about to embark on an adventure full of new experiences. Both choices are fantastic! You probably worked hard to gain this opportunity to further your education and I congratulate you on your accomplishment!
Along with the excitement you probably feel with having completed high school, you may also feel a bit anxious, which is natural. The purpose of this letter is to ease those anxious thoughts as well as ignite your passion to embark on this new chapter of your life.
Personally, I made the decision that college should be a clean slate, so I decided to attend the University of Delaware. Initially, I was worried that going to school 128 miles from home would be challenging, but in hindsight, I could not have made a better decision. Some concerns that flooded my mind as I anticipated my travels were fairly common. Will I be able to make friends? Will I be able to handle the work? Will I be able to do my own laundry?! The answer to all these questions in short, yes!
The beautiful part of college is that you are not experiencing it alone. There are plenty of people your age asking themselves the same questions to some degree. You will be exposed to a whole melting pot of people which at first may seem daunting and intimidating, but you will eventually appreciate and welcome people from all walks of life.
Making friends in college may seem intimidating because most people are quite shy or distant for the first day or two, but don’t let that drag down your spirit! I remember the first few nights I went to the dining hall with some floormates: We were so awkward! It’s completely natural! However, as you begin to spend more and more time with these new people, you’ll see that everyone warms up to one another. The first time I met a close friend of mine, I happened to be wearing a high school T-shirt, and the first words that came from his mouth were, “Farrell? I always hated how you guys trumped us in football!” Of course I was naturally ready to pee my pants because a six-foot football player was confronting me, but then he extended his hand and with a smile said, “My name’s Tim, it’s great to meet you!” It's as easy as that!
So, making friends and having a great time is one half of the experience. Now, for the part most people worry about: the work. I won’t do you a disservice by trying to sugarcoat it for you, the work is tough. There will be a lot of nights that you spend at your desk or in the library wracking your brain for the formula for general relativity or writing your nine page research paper for your English class. But here’s the good news! Again, you are not alone. There are plenty of resources that you can access in order to help you out along your academic career, including your professors. Most professors enjoy when a student walks in to their office with a question or two because it shows that you are engaged in what they teach! (Pro tip: Stop by your professor’s office often. They are more likely to help you when they know you by name.)
Also, be sure to remember why you are at college in the first place! I am by no means trying to sound like a parent when I say academics should be your primary focus, but it helps to hear it from someone your age. Nobody is stopping you from having a great social life and not opening your textbooks once throughout the semester. However, I’ll tell you from experience in one of my classes, the feeling of sitting through an exam where you know close to nothing is pretty brutal.
Well, I hope I helped to easy some of the anxiety you may have concerning your first semester of college! Just remember, you are not in this alone. The best advice I can leave you is to join clubs and communities that spark your interest, work hard, and most importantly, have fun! Be well, and I wish you luck as you prepare for this journey!
