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Since we were children, our generation has been exposed to movies, books, and television shows based on the quintessential college experience (or what it is viewed to be by the media). Personally, my summer going into freshman year was filled with a lot of anxiety. My thoughts were constantly filled with “ifs” based on what I had observed or heard from former high school peers that had told me varying stories from their college experiences. I hated not knowing what my day-to-day life would be like, so here is what I think a lot of people experience that they think is a little strange but totally normal for this big transition.

The first thing I noticed right off the bat once I got to school was the fact that I was constantly exhausted. At first, I thought I was coming down with one of those weird illnesses that just exist in college, but I had no other weird symptoms. Then, I took into account what I was doing every day: walking ten to twenty minutes to each of my classes and back to my dorm, then walking to a dining hall to eat or  to the library for a meeting. I was constantly staying up later than normal making friends or doing work. A lot more energy was being exerted as I was doing a variety of different things compared to my summer routine of getting up and going to work at 3 pm. So, my advice is this–if you feel overworked, listen to your body. I took an almost absurd amount of naps during my first semester, usually one a day. This is totally okay and good for your body’s adjustment to the new environment and routine. Try and begin to schedule your work schedule so you can do a lot of it during the day, so the night can be for fun activities or going to bed early if you feel you need it. 

Another thing that I found strange in my first few weeks was just how much free time I had. Sure, I was exhausted all the time, but the only real scheduled parts of my day were my classes and project meeting groups. This is opposed to high school, where you are in school from 8 to 3, then have after school activities or sports, then eat dinner, do homework, and then get ready for bed. I was moving and doing so much that I didn’t realize how little free time I actually had. During my first semester I found myself coming back to my dorm room after classes and laying down in bed, wondering what I should be doing, like I did in high school. Sometimes I found myself feeling kind of useless and lost, which can be concerning when you are constantly told about how hard and overwhelming college is. Know that this is a normal feeling to have, and begin to find things to do to fill that free time. I began to use that time to do my laundry, or to try and meet up with my friends in the middle of the day as opposed to just after classes.

Something that was overwhelming to me before college was the idea of making friends. I was so afraid of people not wanting to talk to me or that it would be hard to socialize outside of my dorm floor. Instead, I found quite the opposite scenario. Everyone was just as eager to make friends as me, so I met a lot of people during the first couple of weeks. However, not every person you meet during the first weeks or even months of college is going to be your best friend. That’s okay! You gain a lot from meeting so many different kinds of people, and it is always nice to see friendly faces again around campus or in large lectures. Sometimes, these “fast friends” will introduce you to people who become your best friends later on!

Finally, an important thing I realized is that everyone adjusts to this change differently. Some people find their groove with ease, while others take until the end of their freshman year. This is normal for every college, whether it is 45 minutes from your hometown or 7 hours away. Being on your own for the first time can be really difficult. I know I missed my mom’s cooking, talking to my sister across the hallway, and my friends from high school who basically lived down the street. Homesickness is normal, but some may experience it more than others. That doesn’t always mean you dislike college, it means it is just taking you longer to become normalized to your new lifestyle. It may be disheartening to see people who seem to “have it all together” , but I promise you they probably don’t. To be honest, most people never have it all together for the entirety of college. I can validate this considering I’m going into my junior year and definitely never have it all together. College can be a weird experience, but it's a weird time that everyone experiences in their own way. And in the end, it's a weird time that is the most amazing time of your life. 

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