Overcoming the fear of freshman year

The first day of college can be infinitely times more terrifying than the first day of school.

We, my dear freshmen, know exactly how you felt Monday. Most of us, too, have spent a sleepless night planning our every move, biting on our nails, or pulling out our hair.

On the bright side, it is completely normal to feel like you were being haunted by the thought of what could possibly go wrong on that first day. After all, first impressions are always important, right?

A lot of things will go through your mind and the mixture of feelings can sometimes seem overwhelming. At the same time that it is wonderful to be accepted into college, the idea of some sort of catastrophe happening during your first day in a completely new environment can be very stressful. Anxieties aside, I know you couldn’t wait for orientation week.

This is it. The summer break was over sooner than you ever expected and your first week of classes is almost at the end. This week you said goodbye to high school for good and started to experience a little bit of what adult life has in store for you.

Diving head first into a new environment can be tricky and in college that won’t be any different. You will encounter demanding teachers, super complicated assignments, and in one way or another you will have to take responsibilities for your academic life.

The majority of freshman students will have to learn how to cope with living away from their families for the first time. It is not easy, truthfully, but living in the dorms is a great opportunity to get to know yourself, your limits and your boundaries.

If you had some time to process all that happened on the last few days, you are beginning to realize what being a freshman at a university feels like. And, overall, it is not that bad, is it?

Hopefully, at this point you already have noticed that college has a lot of amazing things to offer that make up for the initial choke. Even living by yourself has its own bright side, the freedom to do whatever you want, whenever you want.

Another positive side of beginning a new phase in your life is that you have the chance to be your true self. In a college environment, you will meet hundreds of people and most often than not, you’ll be able to make friends that have a lot more in common with you than your high school friends. And because of that, they will tend to be more accepting of your singularities.

In college you will also have plenty of opportunities to spice up your social life that will range from events tailored to welcome freshmen students to campus, to socials and sporting events. You will also have the chance to get involved with Greek life, clubs and a range of organizations on campus. Also, just in case you are still wondering, yes, it is possible to conciliate academics and social life and enjoy the most of what this new phase has to offer.

Now, it may sound like your grandma’s advice, but with all this new acquired freedom comes with even bigger responsibilities.

It is always smart to be aware of your surroundings. If you are going out, please use the “buddy” system and always have somebody around that can rescue you from situations that can develop. Trust me, things will get out of hand sometimes.

College can be a really fun experience. As cliché as it may sound, take your time to be yourself and things will slowly fall into the place it belongs. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of every opportunity or to explore your new world, because your freshman year will be over sooner than you realize.