If you're anything like I was as a high school senior, you have a countdown app on your phone counting down the days till move in. You have a Pinterest board dedicated to designing your dorm room. You can't wait to tell everyone what you're majoring in and you're decked out in all of the College of Charleston apparel. All this because the first day of college means one thing: the start of your freedom. It's the start of your journey to find who you're truly meant to be. They say college is where you really find yourself. You can establish yourself as whoever you aspire to be. In high school, you were defined by your parents, your friends, and your reputation. In college you can redefine yourself; start over again with a blank slate.
College is a series of trials and errors. Life may not always go as planned. You may fail a test, accidentally sleep in and miss class, lose a relationship, or just forget to put your clothes in the dryer one day. But these mistakes are to be taken as lessons, not failures. They are your first steps into adulthood and it's okay if you stumble.
It's easy to feel lost in the mayhem of the crowded sidewalks, students hustling and bustling to classes (what we call "rush hour"). It's easy to be engulfed in the enigma of the city (but as long as you know King Street, Calhoun Street, and Saint Philip you’ll always be okay) and be overwhelmed by its old beauty. To feel homesick and wish for your mother's wise words and your welcoming bed. To feel overwhelmed by the overload of coursework that your syllabus already presumes. It also isn't easy to scroll through Instagram photos; watching your hometown friends, making new best friends while you're sitting alone in your dorm room. But don't forget that everyone finds their niche in life.
So, don't be afraid to get out there. Join all the clubs that interest you and meet all your new classmates. Take advantage of your newfound freedom as a freshman. And don't be afraid to be outrageously insanely you because College of Charleston is excited to have you.
