Entering your first year of college is one of the biggest moments of a young person’s life, and it is also one of the most intimidating.
There are a million feelings as you move into your dorm, introduce yourself to the people on your floor, begin orientation and eventually classes. A lot of students are not from Davis; many are from out of state and some may be from across the world, all now together in one place completely different from anything they’ve ever experienced. It was a terrifying feeling to be in a new place with new people, away from your family, your hometown friends and everything you’ve ever known.
These overwhelming and anxious feelings eventually transformed into feelings of excitement and opportunity as independence and maturity flourished throughout the year. You were completely on your own, a truly daunting feeling — experiencing life on your own can have its ups and downs. Newfound responsibility can be daunting, especially without the guidance from those around you. However, this is the chance for many people to get to choose their path and make life in their own image. Getting involved in classes you personally got to choose, making steps towards a career that you were passionate about, making your own choices and being responsible for how you live your days is a new kind of independence.
One of the most wonderful experiences was the opportunity to build friendships and connections with people you never knew you needed, the kind of people that inspire and motivate you in all aspects of life. Alongside this was also discovering the kinds of things that you didn’t know existed and experiencing things that truly fulfill you. This is exactly what being a first-year is about.
The first year of college is one of the most transformative years a person could experience, but this is exactly what is so beautiful about it. When you leave home and set off to build a life on your own, a fascinating process occurs: now as you get ready to finish this year, you are leaving one home to go to another. It is interesting how although terrified to leave home for this new place once, over the course of nine months the emergence of love and admiration for this town, newfound friends and the memories you have made are now the things you hold dear. Discovering your found family and the home you’ve built are some of the most wonderful things to come from this experience in college. Returning to your hometown may even feel different now.
So when you think back to September you, be proud of everything you have accomplished. This jump into adulthood was not easy, but now there is a life that you have built all on your own, exactly how you imagined it. To all the first-years dreading the feeling of seeing an empty dorm room after making it your own, saying goodbye to your friends for the summer and finishing finals; this is just the beginning of every exciting moment yet to come.