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“The Freshman Odyssey: Embrace, Adapt, and Flourish”

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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at MUJ chapter.

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at MUJ chapter.

The freshmen year has started, and the new freshers must feel what could be called a deep sense of anxiety. The thought of academics, making new friends, being able to adjust to the new environment, the whole idea of leaving home and coming to a new environment just scares you to death. The fear of not being able to adjust and continuing to be uncomfortable indefinitely is one of the fates that you certainly were not looking forward to. When you first arrive on campus, it’s a whole new kind of chaos. Yet, you gather your courage, put on your big girl or big boy pants, and step right in.

When you first start with all your anxiety and despair,  you begin the day by looking for your classes (even though it takes forever to find them) but believe me, after a few days it will be a piece of cake. The class may seem foreign to you now, and the people inside it may even scare you to death with their stare but let me tell you, these people will become your bunking partners, your fellow ranting mates and a few of them will also change into your best friends. They will become your own chosen family far from home.

The professors must have introduced themselves to you by now and you might have felt another dread when they told you about the upcoming assignment plans, MTEs and a whole lot more projects they have planned for you (now you must be panicking). Right now, college may seem like the forbidden forest from Harry Potter, where your parents have left you without even giving you a wand. However, this forbidden forest, aka your college, isn’t as bad as it may seem.

Even if you somehow move past the first day of your college, another new issue comes forward. The Roommate (drum rolls please). The idea of sharing a room with a random person and making adjustments with them may seem like an absurd thing to you right now.An even more unsettling thought is if that person doesn’t match your vibe. Will they be a party person or more of a nerd? Do they like to sleep with lights on? What if they are just downright mean to you? The questions will be never-ending. However you, my friend, have to just cross your fingers and pray to all the gods you can to find the best roommate for you.

Let me tell you, a roommate won’t be just a person who sleeps on the bed next to you, he/she will be your very own gossip partner, they will be there when you fight with your family or friends, they will be there when you feel sick as dead and they will also be there when you both dance at 2 am at night like unhinged people. They may be the very first person you make an actual connection with, and at times you would find yourself wondering how the hell you were able to meet such an amazing person and where they were your whole life. That will be the first good surprise college life will give you.

You will make bonds that you had never made before, friends who are always going to be your people for life, and if you want to try, you could also find someone with whom you think about the life ahead. The surprises you will find in this phase of life will just leave you thinking about how far you have come. It may seem like the hellfire is only after you right now, but as I have tried to tell you earlier, it does get better. It is a phase of life which teaches you so much about your own capabilities and limitations, and how you can break certain boundaries and rise from the ashes (just like a phoenix). The uncertainties right now will change into certainties and life here will turn out to be something worthwhile, that I can promise to you.

When you first enter a new part of your life, you are usually struck with your own inhibition towards it, you feel that it is terrible to leave your comfort zone and start with a new chapter, however, it is the nature of life to move ahead. Your school, hometown, parents, and school friends were your comfort zone. These were people you were afraid to leave behind. However, life demands that we leave some things behind in order to move forward. The more logical approach is to embrace this change with openness and you may discover how wonderful your life here will be. Just remember to be your own self all the time, no matter how hard it may seem. The only way you could ever survive anywhere in this big bad world is by being yourself and making yourself your priority. In the end, my only advice to you all is to just take a deep breath and embrace the chaos. The first time when you step foot inside the institution, you will feel as if the world has caught on fire, and everything is just too fast, but remember what I had been trying to say from the very start of this article… take deep breaths (even though it won’t work sometimes)!

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A quirky psychology student with a will to make the world a better and safer place🎀