Well, here you are.
You're nearly a month into your first semester of college. You've survived a few weeks jam-packed with enough reading, writing and assignments to make you go cross eyed, but you've made it this far. Congratulations.
You may be feeling overwhelmed-- at least I was when I was in your shoes a couple of years ago. It's perfectly normal to be feeling this way. College, to say the least, is hard. It takes more than a few weeks of classes to transition into this new and (sometimes) exciting lifestyle.
You might have figured out already that it's not like how the movies made the college experience out to be-- party and booze-filled weekends with friends, homework reserved just to weekdays and the entire world at your fingertips. Sure, for many, this may be your reality-- if it is, good for you-- but for the freshmen still trying to find their rhythm and fearing that they'll never adjust to the "college lifestyle," you're not alone.
I'm a firm believer that all good things take time-- it's true in every sense of the phrase. College is an incredible experience, both socially and academically. It's something that will take time to adjust to. You're here for a reason which, in short, is to receive the education and training in (hopefully) the field of your dreams.
It's the foundation for a successful and fulfilling future. It's the metaphorical diving board into the swimming pool of life (cheesy, I know, but bear with me). Nobody is going to coerce you up the ladder, onto the platform, and to the edge but you. Nobody is going to take the leap into the pool of success but you. So, what are you waiting for?
I know that it's easier said than done-- had someone given me this pep-talk a couple of years back, I probably would have rolled my eyes and said: "what do you know?"-- but I wish someone had told me that things were going to be alright when I was feeling down on myself in the first few weeks of my "new" lifestyle.
So, if you're doubting your ability to succeed academically, don't. I can guarantee you that your grades and GPA in your first college semester will not be a reflection on the remainder of your college career unless you let it be. College-level work and high school-level work are on two opposite sides of the academic spectrum and it's an adjustment period in and of itself. Don't let your first shitty grade of the semester set the tone for every sequential grade.
If you're doubting your ability to succeed socially, slow down. We all enter college with a skewed vision of immediately finding our niche. If you're struggling socially and feel as if you'll never find your "forever friends," I can assure you that you will find them when you least expect it. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and get involved-- it's never too late to do so. Stay true to yourself and who you are as a person, the right people will appreciate you for you alone, not the version that you think that they want you to be.
And, finally, if you're doubting your ability to survive this semester, stop. You're going to be okay, I promise. Take it from someone who has been in your shoes, it'll all work out. This is only the beginning to the rest of your life.
