Freshman year brings tons of emotions and experiences, both wonderful and difficult. I won’t be the first to admit this, but it’s hard adjusting to college life. As exciting freshman year is, it can be scary at times. From choosing friends to surviving the course load, the first year isn’t as easy as people make it out to seem. Everyone is bound to make mistakes as a new college student. Despite popular belief, it’s okay to make them. But wait, there’s even more shocking news! It is completely normal to be uncertain. It’s ok if you don’t know how to study yet, or make schedules, or even function on your own. No one’s first year will be flawless, and honestly there is no fun in having a perfect year if you can’t learn and grow from your journey.
Yes, freshman year can be hard, especially the first semester, but what most people forget is the silver lining: second semester! Often times, when we jump into our very first semester we are lost. Of course we have absolutely no clue what’s going on, but really what else would we expect? The first year is a period in which students are allotted time to learn their way. As most of us know, there are tools all around campus that offer assistance. No one expects us to automatically thrive the minute we step on campus. We have to struggle a bit, try to figure it out and of course, get help from others.
As difficult the first semester can be, don’t forget that we get a second. The second semester is a time for new beginnings. It is a time to apply all you have learned in your first semester and do well on your own. It is a time to expand. Continue to make new friends, keep exploring in the academic world and remember to take in all you can. After we adjust, second semester is our chance to live as real college students. As awesome the first semester can be, the second only gets better, and each one after that. It is important to keep this in mind and not continue on as we were last semester but start anew every semester and grow into the students we should and certainly can become.
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