As a new semester begins, it’s important to know that the start of every year can mean new beginnings for each student on campus. You don’t need to be a freshman to experience all the excitement that comes with self-discovery or reinventing yourself. There’s no due date on becoming the best possible you. That being said, actually being a freshman on campus means that there is a completely clean slate. Knowing that I can detach myself from any pre-existing expectations people had for me because of the new environment I’m in is extremely refreshing. I definitely miss some of the comfort that came with coming from a small town, but there’s truly no room to grow in a static, never-changing place. This opportunity for growth brought me to Geneseo, and now that I’m here, I can’t wait to begin finding myself.
To find yourself also comes with finding the people you will surround yourself with, as growing with and around new people adds to the fun of it all. Being introverted and mainly having the same friends all my life has left me at a disadvantage with meeting new people. But with that disadvantage, I’ve learned a lesson that I will probably carry with me throughout college. This lesson is a piece of advice I give to absolutely everyone (especially freshmen) going through change: you have, have, HAVE to step out of your comfort zone. I’ve only been at Geneseo for two weeks now, and I don’t have a crazy amount of friends, but my small circle came to be because I completely stepped out of my own comfortable social boundaries.
It isn’t easy, I know. I would text a new person and completely shut my phone off, being scared about the reply. Making new friends is an experience that is second nature and not a big deal to some. But for myself and plenty of others, it is a challenge that takes time and guts to overcome. However, achieving this and forming these friendships is undoubtedly rewarding, as they are the gateway to experiencing so many more new things. So put yourself out there! You have an endless amount of potential to become whoever you want to be this new semester, at any age, at any point in your life. New semester, new you!