I told myself, now that I’m back in East Lansing for the school year, that, no, it’s not that big. And my hometown isn’t that small! Surely, most people in my hall can relate to dirt roads, tiny schools, and half hour drives to do anything fun, right? Right.
But, what I learned was just how little my bubble was back home. For example, one of my “college firsts” was going to a CVS for the first time.
It’s supposed to be fun. Enlightening. Growing up and being the little fish in the big sea. Getting all of these new experiences. However, that position can be pretty strenuous when these new experiences don’t feel new to anyone else.
It’s baffling trying to play catch up at something you didn’t even know you needed to catch up on, and thinking to yourself how obvious is it that I suck at this?
There’s buses, bus routes, the realization of just how loud passing cars can be on the street, crossing the street and figuring out what in the world the little light up red hand and green walking guy mean (my town only has one main intersection!), realizing it’s hard to explain to peers how truly tiny your town is when they say their hometown is boring and small when, man, at least you had a Target!
Impostor syndrome is alive and well in college life. When it isn’t infiltrating classes and studying, some questions pop up in comparison to other people. How can I even fit in with these people? Is this what I would be like with more money and opportunity? How did I even end up at the same school as them?
However, a more important question is: Who else is feeling this way?
As it turns out, it’s an adjustment that’s pretty common. Meeting people from other small towns and relating over the quirks and traditions that are unique to small town life actually turned out to be an awesome way to start a conversation that lasts for hours and hours.
Finding these connections isn’t something that can be accomplished by sitting alone in your room and convincing yourself that there’s no way you could ever find a way to connect with your peers.
If we’re all struggling to find our way in this new world, at least we can know that we’re all struggling through it together.