New to College?

As the collegiate year kicks off for millions of students, excitement fills the air. But this exciting new adventure isn't everyone's idea of fun. For many students, especially college freshman, the year is fraught with tension, anxiety and uncertainty.

Many young people have to deal with things in college that they've never had to deal with before. For example, as an only child, I never had to share a room with another human being until college. Luckily, my roommate went to bed around the same time I did and we got along. But that isn't always the case.

Things you may have to deal with include:
1) Being really broke
2) Being homesick
3) Hating the food
4) Adjusting to the level of college work you have to do
5) Making friends
6) Traveling home
7) Dealing with tough roommates/suite-mates
8) Discovering the horror of communal bathrooms and Ramen noodles for three meals a day

Anyway…the point is…there's a lot that you may not like about college and it's stuff that isn't really publicized. Usually when you hear talk of college, the talk is positive and focuses on football games, parties, school spirit and fun events. But not every second of every minute of your college experience is going to be enjoyable. The key is to not freak out! You don't have to like it! You just need to start getting through it and it will become easier. You WILL find your groove. You WILL make friends. You WILL adjust. But these first weeks/months are always tricky. The good news is that you'll never have to be new to college again.

I'm the biggest weenie that I know and I still made it through. So if I can make it, so can you. Remember, you're not alone. Your whole class is going through what you are. Sure, everyone smiles and puts on a happy face, but deep down…a solid 90% of freshmen are at least mildly terrified.

College really forces a person to grow up and realize that life isn't always going to be easy or fun. As a high school teacher, I can tell you that 100% of my kids expect to be constantly entertained and taken care of. Soon they will realize that life is difficult and rarely entertaining. (Shoot…my kids think Friday is some sort of national holiday. It'll be interesting when they get into the workforce and discover that they still have to work all day on Friday…and every other day of the week…and during SUMMER! OMG)

The workplace is no slice of cake, and college is preparing you for that. Well, it's also spoiling you rotten. At no other time in your life can you come home, eat a bowl of Lucky Charms and take a three hour nap at 1 P.M. College has a lot of perks and a lot of freedom, so focus on the positive. Just make sure that you don't lose yourself in partying or distractions. You're there to get an education and I can guarantee you that there will come a time in your life when you wished you had actually paid attention to that one class you zoned out in, because now you need that information.

College doesn't have the same mind-set as high school. You're not just in college to "get through it." You actually need to retain a lot of that information, and for how much you (or your parents) are paying in tuition, it would suit you to take it pretty seriously.

It's all about your mindset at this point. Be strong, be confident, be courageous, try new things, introduce yourself to everyone you can, go new places, put all of your effort into your work, join some groups, get involved with the community, find a good church and be yourself. Most of all - enjoy college, because it will be over in the blink of an eye.

P.S. The Freshman 15 is real. The more you meditate/pray, organize, and plan, the less stress eating you'll do. Nuts, yogurt and cheese are your friends…candy bars and soda are not your friends.

P.S.P.S. Call your parents, they love and miss you. And if you're lonely and have no one, you are always welcome to message me. No one should be all alone in life.