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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 PSU chapter.

We are all told that one benefit of moving away to college is having a fresh start. The only problem is that creating this new lifestyle is no easy task. 

We spend our youth with people we’ve established connections with for multiple years. You can’t recreate those connections in one semester of college. 

This is a hard pill to swallow at first. 

College is something that is thrust upon you, and it is your job to figure it out on your own.

Making friends is a crucial part of helping you settle into your new atmosphere. It’s hard to do this at a big school, especially as an out-of-state student. It can be discouraging to see people form their friend groups so early on. 

It’s important to know that this is not your fault

Most of the time, these friend groups have known each other before coming to college. You are not doing something wrong in your friend-making techniques. 

Building connections takes time. I didn’t feel truly settled into college until my third month. This helped me because taking your time with things helps the process play out authentically. 

You are saving yourself from forcing connections that aren’t meant to be. I have watched multiple friend groups fall apart. While this is not the ideal situation, it is also inevitable.

Even if you find yourself establishing a friend group three months in, that doesn’t mean it is permanent. You are constantly growing and evolving in college. That’s the fun of it. 

Feeling out of place doesn’t always relate to friendship. This can go so much deeper. 

As I closed my first semester, I have questioned my belonging. 

Moving across the country to be at a school with 20 times the students at my high school was what I envisioned for myself. I wanted a completely different atmosphere to challenge myself as a person and grow into a different version of myself. 

This was a challenge.

I often second-guessed my decision to be so far from home. I saw no progress in making friends and was confronted with challenges in my major. 

I began to compare myself to people I had in classes and even people online. The college lifestyle is so glamourized. Everyone wants to always present the best version of themselves. 

The irony in this is that people are hiding so much under the surface. When speaking to these people, I desperately wanted to be; I learned that we shared the same struggles. 

They were in these big friend groups to mask their true loneliness and just wanted to fit in with the masses. Of course, this side wasn’t presented on social media because you can’t let people know how hard you are struggling. 

I soon realized I wasn’t alone. College is hard. No matter how you look at it. 

People will triumph in areas you struggle in and vice versa. Always remember that comparison is the thief of joy. 

Everyone is starting something new for the first time, and it will go differently for each person. 

Remember, you are on your unique path that will fall perfectly into place. 

Hi! My name is Natalee Bravo and I am a freshmen at PSU majoring in Journalism. I love to write about fashion, pop culture, and current events.