You're so close to college. Your high school days are behind you (for better or for worse). The comfort of high school might have been hard to leave. Your friends, sports teams, and the life that you knew so well And the next few years of your life might make you scared, excited, and give you knots in your stomach. College will be the most fun yet challenging four years of your life.
Right now you're making lists of things you need to buy at Target and The Container Store. You're texting the roommate who you met online. You're anticipating orientation. You're trying to figure out how to buy textbooks. You're wondering if you chose the right major. But take a minute and breathe. The stress can build up within minutes and there's no reason for that.
College will be new. That's the whole point of it. And you won't wake up one day running the Greek system or getting a 4.0 or taking on ten extracurriculars at once. It just won't happen. The friends, sports, grades, and clubs you take on in college will take time. Your life won't be planned out within the first week of college.
Because of its newness, here's some advice as you prepare to enter college
Meet strangers: The first few weeks of college is the best way to get random people's numbers, have meals with strangers, and have it be socially acceptable. Make friends in classes (you'll probably need it when midterms arrive). And don't think of yourself too highly.
Don't underestimate the power of studying: Study hard for your first round of tests. Trust me, it will probably harder than high school. You can judge a lot about a class from its tests. Just don't blow them off.
Pursue a few extracurriculars: Don't try to kill yourself with social activities, but pick one or two clubs or things that you can do. These are great ways to meet new people and branch out. Finding people with similar interests is one great way to do this.
Find a way to relieve stress: Whether that's working out, reading, or volunteering, don't drown yourself in school. You'll need something to take your mind off of statistics and anatomy every once in awhile.
Have a good sleep schedule: Don't skip this one. There will be days you'll want to stay up super late and might need to. But learn how much sleep your body needs and listen to it. Getting sick and sleep deprived is the last thing you need.
The list of advice could go on and on. But know that college will not be perfect, especially the first few days. It will be a learning experience that will stretch you and teach you. It's where friendships of a lifetime will begin and form. Look forward to it and love it.
