The Adjustment To College
Tips from Students on Making It Through the First Year By Kate Gallop
Starting college is a huge adjustment. Here are some things my friends and I, all rising juniors, wish we’d known before our first year. Share these tips with your new college student!
1
Manage Your Expectations
College is a hugely idealized time of life. Before move-in day, my expectations were loosely based on things my older friends and siblings said, Instagram posts and movies: i.e., non-stop adventures with a fun group of friends. When I didn’t have something happening every night, and didn’t always feel like myself, I assumed I was doing something wrong. I wish I’d known that I wasn’t. I wish I’d given myself the freedom to live in the moment without dwelling on pre-conceived notions of the “college experience.”
12
It’s okay if you feel like you don’t relate to your peers instantly even when it seems like everyone else is. It takes time to adjust and make real friends.
2
Make Time to Relax
At the beginning of my first semester, I was worried that if I took time to myself I’d miss out on something. There were definitely times when I should have said no to things but went anyway. I got sick the minute I arrived home for fall break and that’s when I realized I was burned out.
