My First Week at College (Jayden)

Going into this first week of college, I’m not gonna lie, I was a little bit nervous. A new environment, new people, new teachers, new everything. The only familiarity I had was the mindset I carried. Everything else felt brand new, like stepping into an unfamiliar world where I had to relearn things all over again.

But one thing that surprised me was how quickly those nerves turned into excitement, and how fast those new experiences turned into new goals. I’m only taking three courses this quarter: Micro Econ, English, and Stats. Each lecture introduced me to a different teaching style, whether that be heavy lectures, discussion-based, or even interactive talks. Every conversation I had with my classmates reminded me that everyone else was trying to figure things out, too.  That took some of the load off of my mental pressure that I was putting on myself to know my path. This shared sense of “we’re all in this together” made this transition that I’ve been hyping myself up for feel less intimidating and more like an adventure.

I realized that the first week of college isn’t about having it all figured out, although it is good to go in with a plan, but rather more about being open-minded. Open to meeting new people, open to trying different study habits, and open to stepping outside your comfort zone. Sure, I felt overwhelmed and overstimulated at times, but more so, I felt this spark of independence and confidence. The freedom to choose how I will manage my time, how I will approach my classes, and how I will build my own community, all of which came quite easily in high school.

Looking back, that mix of nerves and excitement was exactly what I needed. It kept me alert, pushed me to talk to people I might not have otherwise, and made me pay attention to the details that will shape my college experience. If this first week has taught me anything, it’s that growth doesn’t happen when you stay comfortable; it happens when you step into the unknown and let yourself figure it out along the way.

This is super exciting, and I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks have in store for me.