This marks my third month of being in college! I am so thankful for my experences so far, and and the lovely LLC (Living Learning Community) I have joined. But, as fun as college sounds it does have a lot of ups and downs throughout the journey. Just in these three months I feel like I've gone through so many changes both good and bad, and even though it's tough I've realized that pushing through can make such a difference. Even if that means getting away to do homework, talking to a therapist, or missing out on something to prioratize something more important.
In my first few weeks of college I dealt with a lot of FOMO from home and even from just not being up to hangout with people. It took a toll on both my mental health and class work, and I really regret not talking with anyone about it. I think as people we really dont realize just how crazy the change of going from being around mostly the same people from elementary school to highschool to completely moving away and meeting completely new people. Its a hard, yet very rewarding experence. Its hard to get out there and talk to new people, but in the end its amazing to have such nice and new social circles. Dont get me wrong, friends from home are great, but flipping a new leaf and meeting new people and having somewhat of a fresh start feels amazing. It allows you to express youself more since theres so many people. One of the biggest things I've learned so far is no one cares, express yourself! If someone doesn't like it they dont have to hangout with you; Depending on where you go, and for me personally college is so big that you can distance yourself from people you may not agree with very easily. So don't be scared, and know you will find your people. You can find them through coincidence, clubs, and even in class. Its truely an awesome experence meeting so many people that come from all different backgrounds.
So far, I ended up being apart of a 30+ person group chat, we all meet up in two main areas and I love it! Its nice being able to come downstairs and see people at all hours day and night. Having the community is so amazing and important for your mental health. I know a lot of people, myself included, struggle with social anxiety and overall just getting out and making new friends, but I promise its so worth it to check out that event you arent sure about, or that club you were nervous about! Getting out of your dorm to talk to people makes such a big impact, and it assures that you will have people there when you need them! I have had many moments where I have been able to ask "Hey can someone help me with my homework" or "Guys im feeling down can I vent to someone?" and someones been able to come see me or text me right away. I am so thankful for this, and I hope any of you heading off to college can have the same expereice I am having.