When I first stepped foot on the Agnes Scott Campus during move in day, I was shaky, nervous, and confused, as I am sure most other first years were as they were welcomed to campus. So many questions ran through my head as I faced this experience with so much uncertainty. Photo by Gabriel Beaudry on Unplash
What if my roommate and I didn’t get along? As an only child, I was not accustomed to sharing living space with others, so it was very likely that living with a roommate might not be as easy for me as it would be for a person with siblings.
What if the course load became too much to me? Although I was used to having a large amount of work in high school, thanks to the IB program, I had heard several of my friends complain about the amount of work they had to do in college, and I still had no idea what I should expect.
What if I absolutely hated being in Decatur? Since I lived in New York for my entire life, I didn’t know much about what it was like to move somewhere out of state. I wasn’t used to living anywhere but Yonkers, New York and therefore never had to adjust to being anywhere else.
Photo by Alex Jones on Unsplash
Although I have not been here for long, I can confidently say that everything I worried about was for absolutely nothing! My roommate and I get along so well that I feel as though I have known her forever. Additionally, being able to check the syllabus whenever makes it so much easier for me to organize my time properly and keep the course load from being too difficult to manage. Most importantly, I enjoy living in Decatur and staying on campus. My experience on campus has been nothing less than absolutely delightful. I made friends who are open minded and easy to get along with.
A large part of my transition can be credited to my school’s first-year orientation. Agnes Scott formated its orientation in a way that made me feel so welcomed and comfortable on campus that it was almost impossible for me to feel the same fear I felt on Move In Day. Even though orientation lasted less than a week, by the end of it I felt as though I had learned so much about myself. Even though I have only been a college student for less than a month, I know that based on what I have endured so far, this will be an experience that will help me grow as a person.
Finally, the people I have met on campus have also helped me transition from being scared on move in day to being a comfortable college student. They assured me that it was normal to be anxious by admitting that they were afraid and confused as well.
One thing that I failed to realize as an incoming first year college student is that everyone is nervous to some degree when they are entering a new environment; therefore, it was impossible that I would be the only one feeling that way. All I needed was reassurance that I was not the only one feeling this way. My advice to first years entering college would be that the people around you are either experiencing the same emotions you are or have experienced them in the past; either way, you are not alone and therefore your emotions are not only valid but are also understood by others.