As college students, we all know by now that nothing in life lasts forever. Let’s face it- life is constantly changing, but it wouldn’t be as exciting if everything was the same all the time! Even though changes in life can be incredibly rewarding and positive, sometimes they can be difficult to process until we adjust to them. This period of adjustment is known as a transition.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word “transition” as “the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.” Many of us find it difficult to deal with them because the adjustment can be particularly overwhelming and uncomfortable. Not to mention – it can also take a toll on your mental health. Breakups, moving, starting a new job, among other things, are all common major life changes for college students that can involve a period of transition.
Some people find it naturally easier to go through transitions than others. However, I have always had a rough time dealing with them. The worst part for me was that in my mind I would try to diminish the situation, and play it off like nothing was wrong. I would think to myself “yeah so what, it’s not a big deal” or “life is always changing, why is it so hard for you to accept that?”
Never diminish your situation. It is perfectly normal to have a difficult time adjusting to changes. It doesn’t mean you’re not open to change- it just means it takes some time to get used to it. There is nothing wrong with that! As someone who knows how rewarding it is to go out of her comfort zone, I always like to embrace change. I’m always open to new opportunities and experiences despite my discomfort with transitions. However, it has taken many years for me to have this outlook, and yet I still find it difficult to deal with transitions.
The truth is, I’ve had a difficult time with transitions even back in elementary school when I would always find myself being a little more apprehensive and nostalgic at the beginning of every new school year. The transition into a new class with a different teacher was always pretty difficult. It was never anything extreme, but it was a noticeable pattern that continued throughout the years. When I got to high school, this apprehensiveness started showing up in my academic performance. Sometimes I wouldn’t do as well as I could have on graded assignments until I became used to the class and the teaching style. However, the transition from high school to college was the hardest transition of my life so far. It wasn’t until the spring semester that I felt truly happy and comfortable at Cal Lutheran.
Here is me on my friend’s roof in Aix-en-Provence, France.
Recently, I’ve been going through another major transition in my life. As many of my friends know, I spent the last academic year and summer abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France. During my 11 months abroad, I learned a new language and immersed myself in a new culture, I traveled all around Europe and Morocco, I made some of the most incredible friendships, I took classes in French and did an internship, and I even met my current boyfriend abroad as well! As this incredible year came to an end and I moved back to college, I found myself dealing with another one of the most difficult transitions. I was overwhelmed with emotions as I missed my time abroad so much, but at the same time was beyond excited to see all my friends again. At times I would also feel so lost and confused because I knew I changed so much, yet I was in the same place as before, but everyone around me had changed as well. This made me feel particularly lonely and left behind. At one point it even had me questioning my mental health. I didn’t want to complain and seem ungrateful; after all I had been blessed with this past year. Not knowing how to process these feelings, I definitely made many mistakes by acting impulsively and letting my emotions get the best of me. Even in my lowest points, reminding myself that everything will get better helped a lot. I’ve noticed that it has been getting much easier with time. As I feel like I am slowly becoming adjusted to life back here again, all those negative thoughts and feelings are finally disappearing.
As tough as they can be sometimes, at the end of the day, transitions are actually a positive thing. They are a constant reminder that nothing lasts forever, and can teach us the importance of living in the moment and enjoying life as it happens. The best advice I could give to anyone dealing with a transition in their life is to never be hard on yourself! Allow yourself to make mistakes, and to learn from them. I truly believe that transitions make us stronger in the end, it just takes some time to get adjusted.
Photos belong to me