A College Freshman articulates her first year college experience including details of her personal journey.
It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. – E.E. Cummings
You are a newly graduated high school senior ready to set foot into the real world. The possibilities are endless. You finally get to be truly independent and obtain that freedom you always wanted. You are probably thinking to yourself, “Finally some space and freedom.” The town you lived in for most of your childhood is being left behind as you set off into this new phase of your life with great expectations for this upcoming journey. All of this can appear exciting and liberating when you are moving off to college, but it can also be not all that it seems. Yes, I was so excited to move away and be on my own, but I also was terrified of the multitude of possibilities that lay ahead.
As I was sitting in my brand-new dorm room taking it all in, I realized this new life I was starting wasn’t everything I had dreamed of. I missed my hometown and my family. That was my comfort, and those people were my “safe people.” It was all I knew for a very long time and now I was in this foreign environment truly learning who I was, and whom I wanted to be. The first couple of months were a major adjustment for me even though I was also having the time of my life. You never realize how much your high school teachers helped you until you no longer have them. College professors don’t care that you forgot to do your homework or are sick with a cold and didn’t make it to class. They have so much more to worry about than the class you only have twice a week. That said, I had to learn how to manage my time because I didn’t have people reminding me what my responsibilities and expectations were every week. While juggling all your new classes and learning how to live in this new environment, you are also focused on cultivating new friendships and building new relationships.
I joined a sorority when I got to college, and it was one of the best decisions I made. I have met some amazing people, and I have built amazing friendships. Although joining Phi Mu brought me so much joy, it was also a lot to juggle with schoolwork as well. I got so caught up in wanting to “fit in” that school became my second priority. It was a struggle to realize that your social life was not everything that came with college, but you also had to focus on your grades and succeeding in the academic part of your life. College has been a journey for me. It came with many ups and downs. I faced hardships, but I also had some of the best days of my life. I know I will never forget this time in my life, and it will always stick with me. I always find myself saying these are the days I’m going to tell my kids about someday. All in all, going away to college was one of the best decisions I made for myself. On this journey, I have learned a lot about myself, and whom I want to be.
If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it.
If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.
If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.
– Nora Roberts
The one piece of advice I would give to a high school senior going into college is that freedom is great, but it is not everything it is made out to be. Be prepared to make hard decisions on your own, and face things you never knew you would have to. Choose to be a leader and not a follower and do not waiver on your values and beliefs. Growing up is hard, but it is also so much fun and has taught me so much about myself. I wish the best for these upcoming high school seniors and their journeys ahead.
Written by:
Emma Schruijer (Georgia College and State University student, Education Major)
Leah McMillan, DPA, LMFT, CFRC (Founder/Owner/Clinical Therapist of EnSpire Counseling & Wellness)