Going from high school to college can sometimes be a lot to handle. Figure it this way: in high school you have your friends, your family, your sports teams, your academic clubs; they are already in place and had been developing over the course of your teenage years. When you go to college, you kind of have to start all over. Some people get lucky and wind up going to the same college as some of their friends, but if this isn’t the case, you’ll need to be prepared to create a new support group or network of people to fall back on when needed.
In this day and age of the internet and digital communication, it’s relatively easy to make new friends and connect with new people. There’s Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and the list goes on. These are all potential ways to find like-minded souls to buddy up with. So you’re not even limited to making friends with other students. You might even find an author or a professor or a spiritual leader to give you guidance or friendship. It’s really up to you.
In high school, there is a lot of structure already set in place. Your parents are there to help push you and encourage you. When you ship of to college in the USA, that support system won’t necessarily be so close and readily available. You’ll have to start creating structure for yourself. You’ll have to pick and choose who your friend group will be. Sometimes it takes a good year or two for this to happen, so don’t get discouraged if within the first semester you still haven’t found your niche. These things take time.
Another word of advice. Make sure you have a number of places where you can go. Coffee shops, bookstores, friends’ places, etc. etc. This will help you to remain fluid as you move through college. It will give you options and deter any sense of stagnation. Some students wind up going back home or transferring schools simply because they feel they have nowhere else to go. If you have places to go, it’s unlikely homesickness will occur.
Remember, if you have places to go and people who support you, the college experience will progress smoothly. Get involved. Have fun.
