As a freshman brand new to campus it is easy to feel like you don't belong at your school. Chances are at your high school you did really well, you were involved, had a solid friend group, performed well in class, probably got a reasonable amount of sleep, and still had time for your family or just relaxing. In college, life kind of gets flipped upside down, a lot of things you knew to be true just aren't anymore.
Coming into a big and pretty selective university, chances are that in high school you were in at least the top 25% of your class, and in college so is everyone else. When you get to your university you find that there are a lot of people who are more qualified than you, you meet some kids and they have accomplished everything under the sun but actually finding a cure to cancer, but that was only after they attempted. But really, it is hard not to feel like sometimes you don’t belong here, and wonder, “how did I get in here?” Just know the admissions team saw something in you, they wanted you at their university, they wanted you to go to school there, they saw your potential.
If you go to a school where you didn't know that many people coming in it can feel lonely, especially if you are in school in a city not near your home. During the first week, you really do not know anyone and there is no good way to make lifelong friends, but hang in there, it is easy as a new little freshman to feel lost. Luckily I was able to come to a school that I did know a good amount of other freshmen at as well as come to a school where they really pushed and advertised Welcome Week Events. If you feel like you have no friends, everyone else feels the same way too, try to get to know your roommate, suitemates and hallmates, chances are they want to make friends too.
The workload is harder and heavier. The professors aren’t “teachers” at my school, my school is a research university, the professors are here for money for their research. It is hard to adjust from your high school teachers wanting you to get into college, wanting you to succeed and getting individualized help. Your professors do want you to succeed, but they can’t care about everyone and reach out to everyone, you have to actually make an effort and go out of your way to ask for help. Also do ask for the help, especially in your major classes, your professors in your major are the ones that will write you letters of recommendation in the future, or you might have them later in your college career.
It may take a while before you find your place or the club that makes you feel involved and feel like someone in your big school. Standing at a football game surrounded by your fellow peers and other students you feel a bit lost, and wonder where you fit into the equation. What makes you stand out? Find what makes you different, what makes you happy and college will get so much better.
You got into your school, they accepted you, they saw something in you. You belong there. It is hard to find where you belong on campus, but you do belong at your school.
