If you’re new to college, chances are you are facing a lot of change and maybe even feeling a sense of displacement right now. The first month of a new lifestyle, in a new town, with new people, friends, and commitments can be a whirlwind. Amazing, frightening, and anxiety-producing, freshman year is something that all college students are forced to face head on. As you’re confronted with new challenges and maybe even living without your parents for the first time, one of the biggest challenges is deciding who you want to be throughout the rest of your life.
College really is what you make out of it, but don’t underestimate the importance of your decisions at this time in your life. You’re still young and want to have fun–which you should definitely do, but be careful how you accomplish it!
Many students come to college expecting it to be just like the movies. In some ways, it will be, but in many more ways, it will not be that way at all. Much like High School Musical isn’t an accurate depiction of what a high school experience is like, Pitch Perfect doesn’t really display college life either. This may sound like a bad thing–but trust me, it’s not.
The thing these movies get wrong is that they always glorify a certain type of lifestyle whether it be partying all the time or singing every time you’re emotional about something. Spoiler alert: that isn’t going to happen. Sure, you can party a lot and you can sing every time you’re emotional, but that isn’t what college must be and it is okay if that isn’t who you are. Who you are is who you want to be.
In college, the most important thing you must do is be yourself. High school for many people is all about fitting into cliques and hanging out with the “right” group, but that’s so overrated and something that should not ever carry into college. College is the first step to your own personal freedom. Your first time being out on your own with doors of opportunity on all sides of you and your free will to choose which door you walk through.
There are groups for EVERYONE here, because everyone, as they are, has a place in making our world a better place for one another. Not only can you always meet people who appreciate and love you for you, but Coastal has so many clubs and organizations that help you find these people faster and connect with others who make you feel more at home. For the feminist, join SAGE (Students Advocating Gender Equality), a student activist group who goes above and beyond for gender equality on campus and fair treatment of all of the student body. For the student who loves politics and leadership, join the Student Government Association and become a part of campus leadership. For the student who loves to plan cool events and parties, join the Coastal Activities Board, which plans huge events on campus like our Cino Day fair and Bingo nights. For the writer, the party-planner, the photographer, and the social media guru, join Her Campus where we have a perfect place for you on our team. For more ways to get involved, click here, but whatever you do, do something that celebrates who you really are and brings you joy. This is the first step in ensuring the real you a happy future. Be brave! Be you!