After high school graduation, we were filled with excitement and nervous jitters as we entered a “new path of life.” The summer in between senior year of high school and freshman year of college was bittersweet; we spent all of our time with our best friends because we weren’t sure how well these friendships would last once we all went away to school. It was finally move in day; we unpacked our things, decorated our rooms and said our goodbyes to our parents. We all had a new type of freedom that we didn’t know what to do with.
If you are anything like me, this excitement wore off quickly. Freshman year is a difficult transition, going from classrooms of 30 or less to classrooms of 150 or more. If you feel like you go through your entire day feeling small in a crowd of 22,000 people, you are not alone. If you relate to any of this, keep reading to find out what helps many students, like myself, ease into this transition.
WVU offers so many outlets to vocalize your feelings and ways to get involved. It’s sometimes difficult to tell your loved ones about the way you feel, but surprisingly, it’s easier to tell a third-party who knows nothing about you. WVU’s Carruth Center (counseling) is open 8:15 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and on Friday from 8:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. The Carruth Center offers walk-in appointments as well as scheduled appointments (just call 304-293-4431).
Getting involved is so important in helping you find your place and purpose on such a large campus. There are hundreds of student organizations through WVU, so you are bound to find one that suits you.
Coming from someone who has had an extremely rough transition into college, I don’t hesitate when I say that getting involved and talking about my feelings has helped me head in the right direction. It is important to realize that setbacks happen, bad days happen often and that is okay. Even when you see friends or strangers posting photos on social media where they are smiling ear to ear, remember that their lives are not perfect—we only share our best selves online.
For anyone with questions about ways to get involved or anyone who just needs someone to talk to, don’t hesitate to contact me at mmm0051@mix.wvu.edu. I’m always open to talk!