Right before going to college, all a freshman hears is how much he or she is going to love it. To them, it may seem like college is the four best years of everyone’s life, which may lead to some high expectations for their own experiences. So, when they get to college and it isn’t quite what they imagined, it’s disappointing. The classes may be harder than anticipated, their hall may not be as close as they hoped, and it can be hard to meet people. Some freshmen come to Michigan only able to count on one hand the amount of people they know, perhaps only befriending their randomly assigned roommate.
As the days pass, they may call their mom, upset that their life at Michigan still isn’t meeting expectations. Freshmen may expect to have great grades and a million friends right away, which is completely unrealistic. By focusing on what they thought they should have, they lose sight of what they do have. Maybe their roommate is greater than they realize, and their grades probably aren’t that terrible. Freshmen in this situation need to simply take a step back and focus on what is going right in their lives. Michigan tends to grow on a person, and soon enough these freshmen will be bleeding maize and blue with the rest of us. However, this experience seems to be pretty common for freshmen, so here’s some advice for how to deal with the initial freshmen blues.
1. Accept that it’s ok.
It’s completely normal to feel homesick at some point, whether you are 45 minutes or 10 hours from home.
2. Call your parents.
Yes, they will give you some cheesy advice. Yes, you should still listen.
3. Join something.
Greek life, a club, dance or theatre group, etc. It’s easier to make friends when you already have an established interest in common, like running, women’s rights, or singing.
4. Talk to someone random.
You can make some great friends, as well as study buddies, just by introducing yourself to a random person sitting next to you. Put yourself out there a little, and you could make a friend in return.
5. Focus on the positives.
So maybe you haven’t found your core group of friends yet, but at least gamedays are super fun! Don’t get too down on yourself— nothing is instantaneous.
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