Shhh baby, shhh! I want you to take a deep breath in and let it out. College is no more than high school that you pay for with new faces but less need for caring. There are a lot of people you will get to discover first hand as you start to build yourself as a person. You need to know that everyone is just as nervous as you and doesn’t want to communicate because the internet is a safe haven and change is uncomfortable. The only people excited for the weekend long (usually) orientation is the orientation leaders (OL). They’re going to try getting you pumped up for college like you weren’t already overwhelmed and in that mess you’ll do group activities. You might build a bond with someone but maybe not and that’s okay. The most IMPORTANT ADVICE I could ever give you is to focus on yourself. College isn’t about your parents, relatives, friends, bosses, enemies, etc. Only and I mean ONLY you. It’s about figuring out your breaking points, and knowing when to push forward. It’s about making yourself independent and making your own mistakes. And it’s okay to make them!! It’s okay to choose a major that you thought you’d love but hated, it’s okay not to have a major planned at all, and it’s okay to be lost and scared. You’ll find someone or a group of people where you all might be different and awkward but nevertheless able to share how much you hate or love your experience. It’s okay to be on the verge of a mental breakdown and skip a class because you just can’t get up from your bed because you’re exhausted. However, you will make it through, you will get to know yourself better than anyone else and break your comfort zones in some way however big or small. And by summer break you’ll be stressed and glad to be done with your first year but still secretly tempted to go back because you’ll want to push your limits and become a stronger you. And if nothing else you can always turn to me and I will gladly help with advice the best I can [:
