- You are truly responsible for yourself.
- You can wear whatever you want, without fear of judgment.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
- Opportunities will come to you if you seek them out.
- You can go to the dining hall by yourself.
- Everyone feels just as scared as you.
- Being constantly surrounded by people can be exhausting.
- You will never, ever have this experience again.
No one will come and wake you up, or tell you to go to the bookstore to buy your books. Your parents no longer ensure you make it to class on time. You learn to take responsibility for yourself.
The first week of school, I was pretty surprised at all the different outfits I saw, and how no one really seemed to care what others were wearing. As long as you feel comfortable, there is nothing to be concerned about. I saw it all, from top hats to Nike shorts, and no one batted an eye.
Whether it is asking a professor to clarify something on the syllabus, or asking someone where to find your next class, most people are willing to help, as long as you ask for it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
This ties into the first point that I made, which is the idea of being responsible for yourself. No one will make you go to a club meeting, or attend office hours. So many good things will come your way, as long as you make an effort to pursue them.
In high school, it was extremely taboo to sit by yourself, and it brought an air of shame along with it. In college, however, your friends often have vastly different schedules from you, and you will eventually eat by yourself, and see how it is truly not a big deal.
People attempt to cover up how scared they are the first week in various ways. Some always have their headphones in, and others try to talk to every person that they meet. Whatever the case may be, you eventually find friends to open up to, and are pleasantly surprised that they felt just as terrified as you did.
I remember tiredly walking to the bathroom to get ready for my 8am class, seeing a girl I had met the day before, and feeling pressured to smile and make a little small talk, in order to ensure I was not seen as rude and uninterested in being friends. This fades over time, as now I simply wave and smile in the morning, as I am truly not a morning person. I do remember calling my mom, and exasperatedly exclaiming, “You have to be ready to talk all the time, even in the morning!” You eventually find the balance between being yourself and remaining approachable.
It was an incredible feeling realizing that I will never again live right next door to some of my closest friends, and will be surrounded by great people as soon as you walk into your building. College truly is a once in a lifetime experience, and once I realized that, I made sure to just soak the moments in and enjoy them, as they will soon be just memories.
