Студент из Колорадо: преодоление стресса при поступлении и адаптация в колледже

Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board. Once upon a time, I was a senior in high school. It was January, school was ending, graduation was looming and I had college applications to fill out. With these applications — as everyone in college knows very well — come the dreaded essay and long-answer questions. All of my future aspirations, hopes and dreams were poured into a Google document and picked apart by everyone I sent it to. As I read and compared my peers’ essays to mine, I doubted my ability to write and express my passion for the subject. I doubted the major I chose, my college application choices and whether I wanted to go to college at all. Ultimately, those roughly 500 words were sent off to the mercy of college admissions — out of sight and out of my hands. But once this period of my life was over, I was able to enjoy the last three months of my senior year, graduation and the summer that followed, which turned out to be some of the most important days of my life. This transition from senior year to college applications to finally deciding on Colorado State University was difficult and stressful, and I wasn’t sure that I would graduate or be accepted into a university at all. I’m sure many college applicants have felt this way at some stage in the process; the stress is universal and unforgettable. But, most likely, if you’re reading this, you too made it out. One of the hardest transitions in your education is over, and new experiences are on the horizon. As crazy as it might sound, the suffering and stress of finals and applications felt enlightening. I taught myself how to manage time, how to become a better student and peer mentor, how to appreciate and embrace “the suck” and how to look forward to the inevitable good days. As hard and difficult as my suffering was looking back, I find that I am a better person for it. Transitions are meant to be difficult. They are meant to push you, break you and make you find out more about yourself, sometimes the hard way. Larger transitions — moving to dorm room hundreds of miles away from home, leaving friends, pets and family, progressing in your major to harder, more focused classes or even transitioning friend groups — are all very important time periods in your life. They call for more adaptability than other transitions you may have faced, which is very important in being able to tackle such changes with much more grace than before. As an incoming junior at CSU, I have had my fair share of transitions, and I have learned so much about myself and who I want to be in the process. There were times when I doubted my skills, I was in the trenches of schoolwork or so homesick that all I wanted to do was drop out and go home. But then I think about what I would’ve missed if I had quit. I would’ve missed meeting some of my closest friends, experiencing new things and places, as well as learning about my passions and executing them in the real world. All of these experiences, people and places came with hard times, but that is what it means to overcome transitions. This is not to say that all transitions will be difficult, but embracing the possibility of them being hard brings success. There are also ways to make these changes more manageable and prevent yourself from drowning in the pressure. Take breaks, call friends and family during downtime to catch up when you’re feeling homesick and remember to balance work and fun with new friends and experiences. Even when these transitions get hard and it seems like there is no way out, push through — you might come out the other side a new and improved person.