Last September I came into my freshman year of college as an innocent and sheltered 17-year-old girl. I’ll admit, I had high expectations for college that stemmed from movies and social media. From an outside perspective, university appears to consist of an excessive amount of partying, and it is lead on that you will meet your new lifelong friends the day that you move in. The first may be accurate, depending on who you are. But the second, well, it’s far from the truth.
I would love to tell you that the first few months are a breeze, and that they will be everything you hoped for. However, instead of a dream it becomes more like a roller coaster. If you like roller coasters, then this might be great news. Yet, if you’re more like me and just the thought of them makes your stomach turn, it might be a downer. College is full of experiences where you think everything is going perfect, yet somehow it gets turned on its head, kicking you way out of your comfort zone. Although these experiences may seem annoying or even painful and scary, they are necessary. Not only is college a place to study and get an education, it is a social learning experience that prepares you for the world you will be let loose in. You, as a maturing and growing individual, need this messy roller coaster.
You may occasionally get lonely, and that’s okay. Use it as motivation to get yourself out there, and join clubs or teams. You will get frustrated. That is also okay. The friends that you meet in the beginning may not be the ones who stay. You might have to weed some of them out and make room for the ones you won’t even meet until your sophomore year.Focus on your classes, because letting your grades slip proves to be an easy thing. And a very difficult thing to bounce back from.
Yet, whatever obstacle you are dealing with in your Freshman year, remember that it WILL work itself out. It always does. The things that seem to last forever, never do. That includes the good and the bad. So, make the best of the time that you have, and don’t stress too much. It goes by in the blink of an eye.
