As the end of my freshman year of college rapidly approaches, I can easily say that growing up is hard to do. Coming into college, I had expectations that exceeded reality. And honestly, I had no idea what I was in for. I had been to summer camps and gone on lengthy school-sponsored trips, but never experienced homesickness while away. So clearly, I was not going to get homesick or miss home when I went away for college. I couldn't have been more wrong. It's not necessarily my family that I have experienced homesickness over (don't get me wrong, I have the greatest support system ever), but rather the comfort and routine that comes with being at home. I was yearning for high school. What even? It's like that saying – you never know what you have until it's gone. Of course, this can be a normal reaction to something so new and different, but it was definitely unexpected for me. So much has been unexpected. So much so that I have compiled a list of ten things incoming college freshman should expect and prepare for!
1. It's OK to feel alone. You are going to feel alone and that is extremely normal. Most likely everyone around you is feeling the same way. You have literally just been thrust into a brand new environment, surrounded by complete strangers, and left without the comfort of your family and friends back home. Your world is upside down. And to be honest, you will feel this void of loneliness for a while.
2. College is an adjustment. With that said, don't expect to be super involved within the first month. You're not going to be and that too is OK. You have four entire years to make your dent. You or your college experience is not defined by your first month of college.
3. You're probably going to want to call your parents way more than you expected. Do it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this and your parents will feel so much more comforted if you do. You have gone from seeing way too much of them to not seeing them at all, and wanting to be in their presence is, once again, completely normal.
4. It will only take a week for you to get bored of all the food options in the dining halls. Bring snacks of your own so that you feel more at home.
5. Getting into a routine right away is so important. I cannot stress this enough. Map out time to work on homework, nap, work out, etc. Routine is boring, yes, but it is also what makes us as humans feel at home.
6. It's OK not to be OK. Sometimes things don't go as planned. Accept this and move on. You can only take on life one day at a time.
7. College classes are much more difficult than high school, regardless of where you go. You're not going to do as well as you did in high school. Again, completely normal! Don't define yourself by your grades, but at the same time, try your best and put in the work, especially with gen-eds!
8. This is something I heard just the other day: "There is always going to be someone prettier, smarter, more athletic than you. Just realize that you are enough." At college, you will meet so many new people and it is so easy to compare yourself and lose your sense of self. Remind yourself of your strengths and don't lose who you are!
9. You may not find your true friends for a while. I think we all forget how truly difficult it is to make genuine friends. The friends we had in high school, we had years to seek out and gel with. The same goes for college. So don't compare the friends you cried saying goodbye to in your hometown with those you have been surrounded with for only a few short weeks. Relationships take time to develop.
10. College is different. This may seem obvious. Embrace it and try your best to adjust to it all. You are an adult now and this is a taste of the real world. You have to fend and take care of yourself. This takes a great amount of independence as well as courage. And don't worry -- you have it.
