Dear freshmen,
I was in your shoes not too long ago, and let me tell you, it wasn't easy. My freshman year of college was a huge turning point in my life, and it's easy for any freshman to feel overwhelmed and discouraged after their first or second semester. Whether it's learning to make new friends, adjusting to the workload of real college classes, or finding the time to simply get enough sleep and feed yourself, everyone faces some sort of setback as a freshman. I'm here to tell you, it's absolutely OK to fail. And actually, I encourage it.
No, I'm not encouraging you to get drunk every night and fail all your classes, but I do encourage you to try new things. If you don't know what you want to major in, take classes in a subject that you never had the opportunity to learn about in high school. You never know, you could find an unknown passion of yours that leads to your career choice. But, if you absolutely hate that subject, you learned a lesson and you're better because of it. If you're going to fail a class, now is the time. You have plenty of semesters left to recover from your low grades, and freshmen, understandably, are given some time to adjust to the heavy workload of college.
If you haven't found a group of friends you fit in to, put yourself out there and join a club or the Greek community. Yes, it's awkward and scary putting yourself out there and possibly getting rejected by an organization, but as someone who's been rejected a few times, I can assure you the risk is worth the reward. College is the place to find the best version of yourself, and surrounding yourself with people who encourage you to be your best is extremely important.
Freshman year is the time to make mistakes, because you learn from them and your college career will only get better from there. I personally hit my rock bottom in the spring of my freshman year in terms of my academics and social life. While it was extremely difficult at the time, the very next semester I was making the Dean's List and making new friends. Failure is necessary to truly appreciate your success, and if you're struggling now, I promise there are better days ahead.
Sincerely,
A happy sophomore
