Starting college is scary. New places, new people, new surroundings: it can be hard to find your footing. Especially being an international student and overseas, it can be a lonely time. Now being a junior in college, I always tell my friends: “You could never pay me to be a freshman again!” That being said, if there’s one thing I would tell any freshman it would be: get involved!
The first couple weeks of school can be frightening; it’s definitely hard being in a place without people you know. For me, St Andrews took me across the ocean and into a small town, unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Being from a metropolitan city, small-town life was so different, and not being close to my family and high school friends made it that much harder. I remember crying on the phone to my mom about feeling so lonely those first couple of days. However, looking back now I’m so glad I made that leap and came all the way here. Being in St Andrews and constantly surrounded by friends and people you can count on is the best experience.
For me, the turning point was definitely getting involved in clubs, societies, and sports. First year I was on the field hockey team and the swim team. What this provided me with was instant social activities and outlets that weren’t school-related. I could relax, work out, and meet new people. Something about me is that I’ve always enjoyed getting to know people. I’ve always been one to make friends in class, talk all the time, and have fun. Joining these clubs and meeting people was such a good experience and it added to my schedule. Especially in St Andrews, where classes are not an all-day event like in North America, you need other outlets to meet people and enjoy your university experience.
And I know it can be hard to put yourself out there. I remember the first field hockey try-out I went to, I went to the wrong one and ended up being surrounded by people who were so much better than me. But rather than freaking out, I just introduced myself to people and actually had a really good time learning from others. I also ended up meeting one of my really close friends, so it just goes to show you never know what will come from an experience.Â
Fast forward to second year, I decided to switch it up. I wanted to participate in some more socially-oriented and academic-oriented clubs and joined Her Campus and the St Andrews Economist as staff writers. I knew this would be a good outlet for creativity but also for meeting new people. I ended up becoming a social member for Her Campus as well and later became a board member. But none of this ever would have happened if I hadn’t put myself out there and got involved. It can be so scary to put yourself in social situations where you don’t know anyone but it makes life so much more fun and adds so much enjoyment to your days.Â
Now that I’m in my third and penultimate year here at St Andrews, I’m so glad that I took those chances and had the experiences I had. They have definitely made my time here so much more fun and allowed me to have friendships I never would have had otherwise.
As someone who regularly got homesick and had a hard time being in such different time zones from my family, friends really filled those gaps, and societies gave me other things to focus on. If I could give any one piece of advice to a freshman, it definitely would be, get involved; don’t let your fears or anxieties get in your way, have fun, and make the most of your college experience. You never know who you’ll meet, what interests you’ll find you have, and what events you’ll remember forever.
St Andrews is definitely a unique university and it would be a shame to not take advantage of all it has to offer. I say this with full sincerity, that because of getting involved and putting myself out there, I have made the most of my university experience, and you should too!