This year, going off to college will be an entirely unconventional experience, guaranteed to exacerbate some of the anxious feelings that normal college freshmen usually have. There is no “10 things to pack for move-in” checklist when the state of higher education is in such chaos, along with the rest of society and the world. There is no rule book, no internet guide, and no real certainty as to what this school year will look like. This is a completely unprecedented time as there is truly no situation similar to the one we face right now that we can emulate to make our experience easier.
On the other hand, I think there is an obvious window of opportunity that all college freshmen should take advantage of in these times. These next four years are all about personal growth, meeting new people, and learning–not just academically but also about yourself, and the world around you. My best piece of advice would be to take every chance that comes your way, because each leap of faith and bridge crossed will move you one step further towards the person you want to be after this experience. In my own life, I reflect on the pivotal moments of my college career, and I realize that many of these opportunities didn’t come directly to me–rather, I sought them out. It was scary and uncomfortable, but they shaped me into the woman I am today.
If you are an incoming freshman, it’s going to be hard for anyone to relate to your experience right now, and going to college in the middle of the pandemic is quite frankly scary and uncomfortable. However, thankfully the fear of the unknown isn’t unique to you all, it’s commonly shared by all of humanity right now. I hope you all can have some peace of mind knowing that every college freshmen throughout the years has shared those feelings with you, yet they all will say that going into the unknown, there is always a lesson learned and a ton of growth on the other side.