Preparing and attending college is easily one of the most intimidating situations you face as a young adult. High school graduation was an exciting milestone that would lead to the next big adventure: college. When I first thought of moving to college, I was excited to experience a new form of independence. However, the months leading up to that daunting date of August 30, 2014 proved to be more stressful and nerve wracking than I imagined.
Think about it...at the age of 17 or 18, teens are expected to choose the career they intend to thrive in for the rest of their lives, take out a college loan that could buy a house (or four houses over the span of four years), and move out of their home, and be thrown mercilessly into the real world. With stresses like these weighing heavily on my mind, it became extremely difficult to enjoy my final months living at home, spending time with my family and friends. And before I knew it, the final week before the start of college had arrived.
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As someone who experiences stress and anxiety frequently, the stress of packing my entire life into the trunk of my family’s 2009 Tahoe was something I had never felt before. Leading up to the night before I left for school consisted of spending every last penny on my debit card buying frivolous supplies for both my dorm and classes, crying with my best friend over the fact that this would be the first time in six years we would be attending different schools, planning out days my then boyfriend could visit me weeks in advance, and going to the North End of Boston for what one of my sisters jokingly referred to as the “last supper."
I distinctly remember waking up the Friday before move in day with no worries. I packed the car, laughed and reminisced with my family, and slept for the last time in my own bed. The next day I took the 45-minute drive from Malden to Milton, spent two hours setting up my dorm with my family, said my goodbyes and then I was on my own.
My first few nights on campus were uncomfortable at first. I was unsure of how to connect with other students in my residence hall but knew that soon enough I'd get the hang of it. And then finally classes began. I was thrilled to learn over the course of the week that my professors were, for the most part, friendly and that the college classroom setting was entirely different from that of a high school setting. I felt like an adult where my voice and opinions truly mattered.
Exploring the campus was breathtaking, as my first impression of the school grounds were the fact they resembled the setting of one of my favorite childhood movies, "Sleeping Beauty." And after getting over the initial repulsion with the bathroom and shower situation, I began to enjoy dorm life.
I first went into this situation thinking I was completely on my own. It wasn’t until I had a phone conversation with my mom about how making new friends is hard and finding your place in a new environment is even harder that I really began to feel confident with my new life at Curry.
Surviving college isn't as hard as you'd think. You'll most likely have more good times than bad. But my biggest piece of advice is to get involved, take some risks, and leave your comfort zone.
I am now going into my junior year at Curry College. I've had my ups and my downs, but what hasn't changed is that conversation I had with my mom my first week there. Making friends is hard. Finding your place is hard. But I promise it gets easier. I've made amazing friends, learned amazing things, and created amazing memories. I'm still learning how to survive in college, but I'm enjoying every moment.
