College can be a tough experience, I admit it. These are the moments that directly influence the course of our futures, so now there's a lot more responsibility and weight placed on your shoulders to do well and succeed. Most of us are away from home, some are only a town over, and for others, they are hundreds of miles away, without anyone nearby that you can truly call family. It is isolating, yes, but we are now birds who have been kicked out of the nest and need to be prepared to fly; some will fly immediately and some of us begin to fall towards the ground, but I'm here to help pick you up.
It's already been a few weeks into school and I already feel incredibly overwhelmed. Do I fit in? Am I making enough friends? How will I be able to keep my grades up? Is this really what I want to be studying for the next 4 years? All of these concerns swirl around my head endlessly as I attempt to find the answers to them and seek out some sanity in all of this chaos. I don't know when I'll be able to find these answers. It's a work in progress, to say the least. I'm not here with all the answers, but I am confident enough to say that you are not alone. Everyone has felt the same way at some point or another, and it does get better. We're on that brink of childhood and adulthood, which is a hard transition because at this point, we are all pretty unsure of ourselves. It is very difficult to have your whole life planned out before you when we haven't even truly experienced the real world yet. We are going to change our minds about a lot and learn new things about ourselves that we otherwise would have never known, and you know what? That's fine, and completely normal. Life is a journey, a giant learning experience that you are 100% in control of. Everyone else's opinion no longer matters because at the end of the day, you're the one in charge of your own destiny. These are the years where you're getting to know the REAL you, without the obstacles of any outside pressures that may influence how you think and act.
College is definitely not like high school. People are less concerned about what you wear or how "popular" you were. Now, your actual personality is going to be what gets you somewhere. The stratifications of socioeconomic status, race, sexual orientation, or any other factor that would make you unique are paid less attention to because you are now in an uber-diverse setting where everyone comes from different walks of life so they are less inclined to be judgmental about these trivial matters. You can be yourself more; starting on a new page where you get a brand-new opportunity to be the person you want to be, and have others perceive you that way. You will begin to meet people who are just like you, for example, just the other day I met someone who shared my love for poetry when I was so sure that my lame hobby of writing was only something I was interested in. We started talking and discussing our short story ideas, so wrapped up in conversation that we eventually forgot how much time we were wasting delving into our shared passion. Getting to know new people is one of the biggest keys in becoming more comfortable in your own shoes. Once you find people who share your interests, you feel more comfortable being yourself and accepting just how unique you really are.
All I ask is that if you are out there and are stressed or feeling doubtful about you belonging in college, just remember that there are so many other people like you, and different individuals who are just as willing to accept you as they are themselves. By making these important connections, you in turn make lifelong friends and relationships that will never leave you. So hang in there and know that everything will be okay, I assure you.
