How to cope with the first year at college

How to cope with the first year at college

Starting college is an exciting time, full of the promise of new experiences and exciting opportunities. But, it is also a period of transition. Expectations are at an all-time high and, when the reality of college does not match up, disappointment can set in. So, here are some tips to cope during this phase.

Acknowledge your feelings: Take a moment and tell yourself “Two things are true. I am feeling anxious, stressed, frustrated, and confused AND I need to come up with a better plan for the coming year.” It is important to acknowledge what we are feeling and know that, though frustrating, this is part of the process. Figure out what did not go as planned. Some things that one normally struggles with are feeling the pressure to adjust quickly, homesickness, skipping classes, peer interactions, losing sight of academic coursework, making all-nighters a habit, hesitating to ask for help from peers and faculty, and going overboard with spending money. Once identified, it becomes easier for things to fall in place.

Social connections: Loneliness on campus can be frustrating, but it is also an important part of transition to campus life. If making friends is a challenge, do something you are already interested in while trying something new. Making new friends can be difficult, but the onus lies on us to initiate those interactions. You don’t have to deal with this alone. So, ensure you talk to trusted adults. It is natural to be with people who have similar life experiences and backgrounds, but that should only be the beginning. Push yourself a bit to seek out and form friendships with people who have a different set of life experiences and world views from you.

Academic support: If you are struggling academically, it can tend to influence our overall wellbeing. Late-night studying, hanging out with friends, and cramming for exams can come in the way of managing time responsibly. If you don’t understand something, ask a faculty member for help. Reach out to the academic support team and faculty members for specific inputs. Tell yourself from time to time: I” can do hard things!”

Functional anchors: Some of our basic functional anchors are nutrition, exercise and sleep, which normally go out of the window when we are struggling. It is important to identify and build our anchors to help ground us during the day.

Ask for help: It is not true that everybody else is succeeding at every aspect of their life while you are not. If you see others posting on social media about their thriving campus life, take it with a pinch of salt. Reach out to support services on campus; you don’t have to go through this on your own. Sometimes, even reaching out to people can feel overwhelming. So, it is important to ensure that you take small steps forward on a daily basis.

The writer is Associate Director, Counselling and Wellness, at Plaksha University