Starting college is one of the most nerve wracking and exciting times of a student’s life. For me, it was a
mixed bundle of excitement and nervous energy. Right as high school ended, the excitement was
through the roof however as the concept of me going to college started to feel real, the nervousness
crept in and took over. I had been in the same school system k-12, so this would be the first time I’d be
somewhere completely new for school, which I’d say is a pretty universal feeling for first-year college
students.
Now to settle my nervous energy, I decided to plan, and plan, and plan some more. From the necessities
of what I may need to bring to college, to classes, to the outfits I might want to wear. I even went to the
point of planning recipes that only required a microwave and refrigerator, which mind you I never ended
up using because I’d be stuck using up meal swipes. This is all to say, there was no reason I needed to be
doing all that, but it did help me cope with whatever anxiety I had in anticipation of college. Yes,
planning can help you feel more prepared, but also be prepared to deviate and go off script. Especially
the first semester of college, that is when you should be trying anything and everything you want (within
reason of course :)).
Leading up to college, I was told by many people that the first week is the most social you will ever be in
your life. Let me tell you that they were right. The shared experience of everyone wanting to find their
people and not really knowing anyone else in addition to the excitement of new beginnings creates a
breeding ground for social interaction. There will be a frenzy of everyone trying to find people they
connect with and as exhausting as it may have been at times (aka repeating the same get-to-know you
points over and over again) it was a time of endless possibilities, so my advice is to embrace it. Fair
warning, the dining hall will become the hub of everyone you ever meet. Yes, most people you meet you
will probably never see again, but a select few may become your people through the rest of college and
that’s something you’ll never find out if you never put yourself out there. Something that will become
more rare as you progress throughout your college career, as people become more settled, is everyone
getting to know each other in classes. Yes, those required classes are a pain (first year writing, calc and
other 1000’s courses), but it can be a wonderful place to connect with peers going through the same
thing that you are. It does no harm to strike up conversation and you’ll never know who you’ll meet. For
me, I was lucky because that first set of random roommates are the people I am still the closest to up to
this day. I was in the Explore Program LLC, which happened to be my last choice, but I am so glad it’s
where I ended up. Being able to connect with other residents about major explorations, being in the
same classes with them, and seeing familiar faces around campus really helped make me feel like I had a
place and community on campus. Thus, things happen for a reason and even if your first choice doesn’t
end up being what you get, it could be for the better so appreciate it.
Outside of all the “life” aspects of college, how was the transition to college classes you may be
wondering. For me, the biggest hurdle to overcome was independence (aside from getting accustomed
to canvas). No longer are teachers going to hold your hand and remind you of due dates or tests, and no
longer is everyone moving within generally the same schedules. On the bright side, your workload for a day
is up to you; you can do what you want to do when you want to do it and where you want to do it.
On the flip side, the only thing that keeps you in check is yourself. Especially that first week, the
adjustment to no guard rails was overwhelming. Each person will find what works for them but what
worked for me was a google calendar and a simple to-do list. That is what kept me on top of my course
load and schedule. Another warning, syllabus week will be overwhelming but from what I’ve noticed, the
syllabus sounds scarier than what actually happens in the class. Most of the time, the professor sounds
meaner on paper than in person. Syllabi are definitely helpful in those first weeks, but if I’m going to be
so honest, I rarely look back at them after. How accurate or dependent you will be on the syllabus
changes based on professors.
Another part of my transition was living in Boston! Overall it wasn’t too big of a change for me because I
grew up in Mass. However, being in a city setting was new, and a lot more stimulating. What really
surprised me was just how walkable this city is. And yes, as much as I like to hate on our T system, with
valid reason as you’ll also learn the longer you are here, you’re usually able to get from one part of the
city to another within an hour because of how compact it is. Because this city was created before cars
were a thing, being a pedestrian in Boston is very convenient. This is great news for students because
most of us don’t have cars. In fact, I’d advise for most cases not to bring a car to campus especially due
to parking. And again, everything is pretty navigable via public transport. What I wish I did more of in my
first semester was going out to explore the city more often, even just for study spots. I explored a lot of
campus that first semester, and some of Boston, but take advantage of the warmer weather those first
few months. Trust that you will get your chance to hibernate as the semester continues.
Okay, now that you’ve made it to the end of my memory of the first month of college, I’ll share some
advice. Something to prioritize are your boundaries and needs. What kept me sane was my bedtime. Yes,
by now I’ve deviated from that strict 10pm shut off brain-time, but with all the new things happening
that first year, getting enough sleep per night was my mechanism to reduce anxiety. Despite what
happened throughout the day, as long as I got my rest, it would all be fine and dealt with the next day.
My biggest piece of advice, which is probably something you’ve heard many times at this point, is to put
yourself out there and try to experience as much as you can. Although it might not feel like it, your first
year is your semester of opportunity and best time to dabble in a little bit of everything, so try to make
the most of it. Also don’t worry, even now I get nervous when a new semester starts so whatever jitters
you may be having now is completely normal – you’re going to be fine!