Three weeks into the semester and three weeks into your first year of college. You may be thinking, “What’s the hype?”
Sickness, missing home, trying to find friends – all while your to-do list piles up with homework and exams.
It feels like you’re alone. No one else is visiting the health clinic as often as you. Everyone is on top of their classes. You look around and see massive flocks of friends.
But as a retired first year, I’m here to tell you you’re not alone.
At this point in the year, you may be jumping to the conclusion that college isn’t what it was made out to be and that you want to drop out already. However, dropping out will not solve your issues.
The first semester of college is unavoidably horrible. You are meant to learn how to live independently – whether that’s scheduling your own clinic appointments or doing your laundry. You're meant to figure out how to balance your time between all your clubs, sports, classes and friends.
Most importantly, you’re meant to realize how and when to put yourself first.
Last year, I also thought “what's the hype?” Don’t worry, I didn’t drop out … I found ways to help myself.
Joining clubs that relate to your major or what you’re passionate about will help you meet new people, learn more and build connections for your future. With that being said, less is more. You don’t need a giant group of friends to accompany you to the dining hall or spend late nights Uptown with you.
And just a tip … eating at the dining hall alone is completely normal.
As you progress through your journey at Miami University, you’ll look back on your first year as the time in your life that prepared you for anything. Your first year serves as the building block for the rest of college.
So right now, live through the sickness, live through the awkward friend groups and live through the piles of homework. Your sophomore, junior and senior year-self will always thank you for the lessons you learn in your first year.
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Sasha Kapinos is a second-year psychology and neuroscience major with a minor in Spanish. She is from Cleveland, Ohio, and is a contributor to the opinion section of The Student.
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