It’s not as easy as it seems
There are many types of transitions. You can use transitions in writing to make it flow, you can use them in grammar and you can transition from different parts of your day. I have always been relatively consistent with handling transitions well. One of the biggest transition tests is moving to college. I thought I would handle it just as well as I handled every other transition that occurred in my 18 years of life. Well that was what I thought.
College: the best years of your life. None of the responsibilities of being an adult yet still being on the edge of teen years. Way better than high school. At least that’s what I was told my whole life. The first month, I was doing great. You could even say I was thriving. I made so many friends, called my mom everyday, of course, and loved my new life. Sure, I missed my old friends and where I used to hang out all of the time just a year ago, but that didn’t even compare to my new life in a whole new state. Or so I thought.
It wasn’t until I went back home for a weekend, sobbing in my bed about how much I missed my old life to my mom, that I didn’t realize how hard of a transition it is to move on to a completely new life. It felt as though every aspect of my life before going to college was settling down and finally becoming what I had hoped for and I was just about to leave. At the time, I brushed it off and reminded myself there is no use in dwelling on what was or what could have been. While the tears were running down my face against the comfort of my bed, I found myself comparing my situation to others in my shoes.
I was convinced that I was the only person struggling with classes and accepting that this is my life now. Of course, social media did not help my mindset because everyday I saw new posts of people I went to high school with who were having the time of their lives. I also posted about how much I loved college life before I realized the transition hadn’t really sunk in yet.
On the drive back to school, I reflected on my life. It seemed like part of the healing process for me. I had to simply acknowledge that this is a new chapter of my life and that I will move between chapters in life. I still struggle with not living in the past and focusing on the moment, but I am able to distract myself with my friendships and school.
This article is an important reminder to myself and others that you are not struggling alone. This transition is extremely difficult for most people. While college offers nearly endless opportunities, it also brings change and that change can be difficult. Struggle doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for something or that you’re failing, it means you’re learning. And we all need to learn to grow.