First Day of College Fever

You are embarking on a brand new chapter of your lives and it's natural to feel surge over and submerge. But help is flying around the corner and it is up to you to seize it.

You woke up on your first day to find that your life has totally changed. For the next four years you will be a college student, when few months ago you hung out with friends in your high school playground.

Suddenly it's up to you to attend classes, handle your finances, do your laundry, sit for exams, manage your time and hang out with friends. In other words, you've become independent!

However, as exciting as some students are to live what adults usually call "the best time of their lives," many have their fears and worries. The change can be overwhelming, but guess what? It's cool! It's okay to be worried; It's okay to wonder.

Feeling lonely? Seems like everybody knows everyone else? Guess again. That's not true. All students are trying to get a foot in the door and you are no exception. Some show their fears and some don't.

Opening point

New students usually face many challenges when they enter college. This happens because attending college is a major turning point in the life of a young adult. It is as significant as getting married or getting a job for the first time.

Helping students

Adapting to the new university life is not easy, which is why universities hold an orientation program for freshmen to help them get acquainted with the rules, services, faculty and staff. Students come from various backgrounds, cultures and educational systems. Holding an orientation activity helps the neophytes bridge the gaps slowly.

During orientation students are informed about university life. They learn their rights and responsibilities. They also meet the faculty members and staff for their academic and other related concerns.

If you are reading this now, you probably remember your orientation day.

Missing home

But what most freshman students struggle with when they enter college? The most common challenges are anxiety, stress, loneliness and homesickness.

Anxiety is to be afraid of the unknown. Most new students are worried about getting passing grades, not graduating yet. Moreover, they worry about not choosing the right course and not proving themselves to their families, friends and teachers.

Stress is also common because of the pressure to learn how to adapt to a new educational system - if you come from a segregated system or vice-versa - get accustomed to instructors, make new friends and live in a diverse school environment.

Struggling with new-found independence, responsibility and homesickness is also expected.

Sharing your feelings

It is said that the healing process starts when one admits there is a problem. So, if you feel that you are stressed, cannot sleep or always worried, seek help.

Students can get support from teachers, class advisers, and most importantly from personal or student counselors. They should talk about their problems and seek assistance. These issues are easy to handle with professional support and are hard to solve on their own.

Last words

Enjoying college life is a combination of many elements: choosing the right course, making friends, enjoying independence and learning new things.

We need to succeed in college because the correlation is high between happiness and success. Happiness is a mental decision we make, followed by some actions we take and some bad habits we break. So enjoy your college life as much as you can.