So the first week of college has just ended and the second one is underway, and I don't know about you but I’m already more than a little bit stressed about all of these new things looking me straight in the face.

We have the infamous syllabi, which I swear they hand out only to scare us, with about a million due dates on it for the homework, reading assignments, projects, etc. Then we have the extracurricular stuff. The stuff we do because we enjoy it and because it takes our mind off of the huge load we have back in our homes (and by our homes I mean dorm room. More on that later.). We also do these things to prove to the big wigs, a.k.a the people we’re going to get our jobs from later on in life, that we can multi-task well. Meaning not only did I succeed in my academics, but I was so good that I could also do volleyball, choir, yearbook, AND speech and debate.

One of the last and most intimidating things of all that we have to tackle is the ‘adulting’ part. We no longer have our parents around us directing our every move. We take care of and handle our own money. We decide when we’re going to wake up and when/if we’re going to class. We feed, clothe, and take care of ourselves (no more breakfast in bed made with love from mom when you're sick). We live in a dorm room, with our roommates, and we do our own bedding. The whole situation is sort of like having sisters, only they’re brand new and have no idea what you and your habits are, how you work, and whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. And, it’s hard to communicate the to them, especially in the very beginning when you’re just barely getting to know each other.

It’s hard because we have to master all of these skills in a matter of days it seems, because everyone else around us has it all together so we better get it together if we want to seem like a normal, fully-functional human being.

In all actuality, no one has it together, everyone screws up more often than not and we all need a break. The key to success, though? Fake it till you make it. I’ve found just trying to act as if you know what you’re doing makes things slightly easier. But, DON’T be afraid to ask for help, it shows your willingness to be vulnerable in order to further your learning. It’s admirable. So just take a deep breath, try and remember most of what your mom and dad have taught you basically your whole life, and go ahead and Google those instructions on how to properly wash your new skirt. Everything is going to turn out okay, you just have to find the balance.