How To Deal With All The Nerves Around Starting College
Starting college can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.
Leaving for college is an exciting adventure, but with that excitement comes plenty of worry. Make your first couple weeks less nerve-wracking with these tips on how to keep calm during your first few weeks of college!
Acknowledge you won’t know everything day one.
It’s okay to admit that you’re new on campus, whether you’re a freshman or even a transfer student. Your campus will likely have lots of ins and outs that you aren’t privy to, and that’s totally okay. As with anything new, there’s going to be a learning curve, and you’re not expected to be an expert after your first week. There will also be plenty of people around campus to help you out if you’re ever feeling a little overwhelmed.
Be extra prepared.
First day of school jitters don’t go magically go away once you’re in college. Minimize your nerves before the first day of classes by making sure you have everything you need the next day the night before so you aren’t scrambling in the morning to get ready. The key is to make everything as simple and streamlined as possible so that the only thing you need to think about when you get up on day one is getting yourself to class—trust us, that’s going to be enough to handle.
Wanting to join a sorority? Here’s everything you need to know about sororities and rush week before you do…
Push yourself outside of your comfort zone…
A big part of college is figuring things out and learning more about yourself. Whether its your major, interests and hobbies, or social circles, college is the time to try new things. There will also be plenty of events going on aimed at freshman and new students to get to know each other, so it will be much easier showing up knowing everyone else there is in the same boat as you!
…but don’t feel obligated to do everything all at once.
There’s going to be a lot of pressure coming in from all sides telling you to make the most of your time at college, especially the first few months of your freshman year. It’s easy to overextend yourself as you try and get all your schoolwork done between tailgates and extracurriculars clamoring for your attention. You have four years of college, so don’t feel like you need to experience everything during week one. Give yourself a pass if you’re feeling exhausted Friday night and don’t want to go out—you have plenty of time, promise.
Remember: everyone is a little nervous!
Whether you’re a freshman or a senior in your last semester, there’s always a bit of nerves when it comes to a new school year. Professors will even admit they still get nervous at the start of a new school year! It’s totally normal to feel this way, so don’t beat yourself up if you wake up feeling a little anxious for the first week or so. It’ll go away before long. Just accepting this is half the battle!
With these tricks up your sleeve, going away to college will be much easier. Just remember to take it one day at a time, and everything will fall into place. Buckle up and enjoy the ride! Want more great advice on college life? Check out our go-to guide for college.
