The first month of college can feel like both a day and a decade. Many of you may feel lost after beginning life outside of your hometown. Maybe the first round of tests knocked you out of your groove. It might seem like everyone suddenly knows everyone else, yet it already feels like you’ve spent too much time here to earn the right to complain about missing out on things. Here’s some reassurances from someone who’s seen the other side:
You’ll do fine if you put the work in.
Maybe I’m a naive marketing major, but I’ve found that everything has a way of falling into place if I allow it to happen. Granted I set pretty average GPA goals and I’ve never really learned how to study. However, here’s so much non-class time in a day that you’ll figure out what works.
Everyone’s confused. It’s not just you.
It’s truly insane how quickly some people make friends in college. It’s almost like they’re wired differently, or that you missed the class on how to be social. The secret is to try your absolute hardest to open up. I know that’s easier said than done. There are plenty of opportunities on campus to get to know people (most every club continues to recruit all year). We’re all looking for friends. If you don’t get along with someone there are THOUSANDS of others here.
There isn’t a Clemson “magic.”
Clemson has almost a religious fervor among its alumni. You see fans throwing up decoration after decoration, generations of families tailgating and talk of how you should enjoy these years as much as you can. All of this can weigh heavy when you’re alone in your dorm for the third weekend in a row. It’s just nostalgia. and nostalgia is biased. College is a time to discover who you truly are, and years from now you’ll remember Clemson as some magical place. These experiences just happen.
College isn’t a puzzle you were expected to solve the summer before you arrived. It’s a time for self-discovery and we’re all looking for someone to share the experience with.