Dear Freshman,
Everything seemed great senior year of high school when everyone was applying to schools and picking where to go. I guess it was fun because we didn't realize how real our decision was. We were thrown in a brand new environment with new people, a new home, and new food. The excitement about doing whatever you wanted was fun for about two weeks. Then classes started getting harder, you missed your friends from high school, laundry started piling up, and more importantly you started to miss home in general.
From this point I realized that I didn't know how I was going to survive college. Only 14 days into my freshman year and college was kicking my butt. I kept looking at my fellow classmates in class or even out on a Friday night to see if I could catch a glimpse of what I was feeling: out of place. Fast forward to three years later, I'm a junior and I have a survived a majority of my college experience. Now that it is the end of your first semester these are some of the things that I wish someone told me when I walked onto campus on move-in day of Fall 2014.
All the friends that you make the first week of school will not stick with you forever. This was difficult for me but college is different than high school. Your friends in college are your pseudo family because when you come home from classes you come home to them. In the panic and chaos of the first week people are desperate to make friends and feel like they belong in a place that is so unfamiliar. As people get more comfortable they will branch out, let them. You will find your people.
The fear of missing out is a real thing, do not let it consume you. People will go out every day of the week but that does not mean that you have to unless you want to. If you would rather watch a movie in bed that night do it. If you want to go out with some friends do that. You get to choose what you want to do.
Join clubs on campus. Yes I understand that I sound like your orientation leader but it is true. These clubs will help you make some friends and put your free time to good use. If you are passionate it about something now is the time to do it. If you have no idea what you like this is also a time to find out.
Your college friends are different from your high school friends. Your college friends are around you 24/7. There is no escaping them and they are the truest friends you will ever have. They see you before your 8 a.m.'s and at 2 a.m. on a Friday night, neither of which are you at your best. Cherish them because this is the only time in life your best friends will live in the same hallway as you.
It's okay to fail. I am a perfectionist and did well in high school. I've done well in college too but it's kicked my butt. I had to get used to a different caliber of work and learn what it is like to focus on majority science classes. It's also okay not to like your major. I happened to stick with mine but plenty of people don't. You can get to college with one idea of what you want and end the semester with a new outlook. This is okay. Nothing is set in stone and you will find what you are passionate about with time.
But most importantly, please don't rush your college years away. This time is scary and uncertain but some of the best times of your life will come out of your time at college. Don't let others hold you back and most importantly don't hold yourself back. Hang in there the semester is almost done. If someone could help me survive until the end of this semester that would be great.
Sincerely,
A Struggling Upper Classman
