Your first week, especially your first day of college, will be one of the most stressful anxiety-filled experiences. Your parents have left and you are on your own in a new place, your home friends are at their own colleges starting their own new lives, and you are expected to start “adulting”, make new friends and basically start a new life. It was definitely scary but it helps if you know other people going into it or are actually friends with your roommate. With a big school like the University Maryland, there are thousands of people (more people than you'll ever know in general) which can be extremely overwhelming. The first week you meet so many new people and can’t seem to remember any names. A tip to incoming freshman: go to any local “meetups” people are organizing in your area for whatever college you plan on attending. They really help and automatically ensure that you'll know at least another 10-20 people and they will be familiar faces that you will recognize on campus. Just seeing one familiar face goes a long way. Starting college this past fall, I had already met more than 50 girls from a variety of different get-togethers. It really made the transition easier, especially since I stayed in contact with the girls from when we met until we got to school, and am still in touch with some now. However some of the people you may meet, like in any situation, may not end up being your friends once you get to college.
The first week of college in terms of the social aspect, is the most chaotic and disorganized thing. Everyone goes out the first weekend to frats or bars, yet because no one really knows anyone and everyone is in the same boat, you kind of just go out with the people you already know, your roommate or people from your floor. When you’re out, you are just bombarded with new names and new faces you just don’t know how to take it all in. It's like this even for the first few weeks, especially at big schools, you are constantly meeting new people. You kind of mix around with different people, trying to figure out who you belong with, looking for that perfect friend group. It’s not easy, it does take time, and you can’t completely trust everyone because after all, you just met them last week, but when you find the right friends, you’ll know.
It’s crazy how everyone is connected to each other and one person you are friends with will introduce you to someone else, and that's how friendships start. I met my closest friends through one of the girls I stayed in contact with at the meetups and now she is one of my best friends, as well as the friends she met here too. You’ll know the friends who are right for you, you won’t care about telling them personal things, being yourself around them, you trust them, and their personalities-- wow, they are one of a kind. I’m so happy I have met the girls I know will be my lifelong friends, I couldn’t be happier right now and I owe it all to them.
To my girls, you know who you are, thanks for giving me the nights I won’t ever forget (or maybe I won’t remember for a different reason…), thanks for the endless laughs and the ridiculous jokes that 99% of the time are so insane if someone heard they would either a) put is in a mental hospital or b) put us in prison. It’s nice having people to rely on for late night cuddles or movie and wine night, a night of partying, or a night of just gossiping. Thanks for never leaving a terp behind… hahaha, we know the irony of this statement, but for the most part I’d say other than that you guys are pretty reliable. Thanks for the instant text replies, daily snapchats, best advice, and overall, thanks for making my college experience so far the best it can be. XOXO
Also PSA, make sure you find “fun friends” in college because they are a hell of a good time.