It’s not a situation anyone wants to even imagine. After months and months of research, campus visits, and application essays, your college adventure is finally starting. You got into your dream school.
But something feels… off.
Maybe your roommate isn’t what you expected. Maybe classes feel overwhelming. Maybe everyone else seems like they’ve already found their people.
First things first: take a big, deep breath. Take a minute to look around you and be proud of yourself for what it took to get there. You’re at college! By yourself! That’s a pretty big deal. And although the independence of college can be an awesome thing, it is also a huge adjustment for most students.
And you’re not just adjusting to harder classes. You’re also dealing with new people, a new environment, a new living space, new food, a new city, and even new weather, depending on where you’re from. That’s… a lot. So if you’re feeling down in the dumps, be kind to yourself. You’re navigating a lot of new things all at once, and that’s hard for everyone. No one hits the ground running, but there are ways to make the transition a little bit smoother. In fact, many students report struggling with the transition during their first semester. It’s more common than you think.
Get Involved (Even If It Feels Awkward)
College isn’t just about the classes. Yes, classes are important. But college is also about the experience. You have a rare opportunity to explore new hobbies or interests, so get out there and DO something!
One of the best ways to beat the blues is to work on developing your community. And joining clubs or student organizations is a super simple way to meet new people and expand your support network. Even small colleges have tons of student organizations and clubs to explore.
Break Out of the Bubble
College doesn’t happen in a bubble. You’re not just part of a college or university community—you are also part of a much larger community of the city or town where your school is located. Campus is great, but what about that cool coffee shop downtown? Or that new ice cream shop a couple blocks over? Getting out and about can help you battle homesickness or loneliness, as you find things to love about your adopted hometown.
Even small towns have cool places to explore. You just never know what you might find – an amazing park perfect for a mental health break, a new restaurant that has a fab take on a favorite dish, or a unique treasure at a resale shop or gift store. Breaking out of the bubble and exploring the city is a great way to expand your perspective and increase your odds of finding places and people that you connect with.
Seek Out Support
College is all about community, and there are plenty of ways to find your place, even if connecting with others doesn’t come naturally at first. Joining groups is a great plan, but what if making the first move feels tough or scary? Adjusting to a whole new world is a big lift, and trying to build community while juggling a full course load can feel impossible. As you navigate this transition, taking care of your mental health is an important part of the process.
Schools today understand the challenges of adjusting to college life and provide a range of mental health support. Whether you need someone to talk to, help scheduling a virtual or in-person doctor’s appointment for a sore throat, or a quiet spot to meditate, medical and mental health services at colleges, like The University of Olivet’s Health and Wellness Center, are a great place to have on your radar. Even better, most colleges offer these services at little to no cost and will work with your insurance provider. Stress is part of the college experience, but you don’t have to battle it alone.
Explore All the Options
If you’ve been putting yourself out there and it’s still not clicking, that can feel incredibly frustrating. Don’t panic. You have options. Some students opt to reduce their course load to take on a part- or full-time job that interests them.
As you consider your next steps, don’t be afraid to reach out to someone on campus that you trust – a professor, a coach, your resident advisor, or even your academic advisor. These people all care about you as a student and a human being, so they want to help. And sometimes just talking things through can be a huge help in figuring out what your options are and what makes the most sense for you.
And if you decide that you would benefit from a fresh start somewhere else, you can always transfer. As you do your research, make sure you’re looking for schools that are transfer-friendly, with dedicated support for transfer students and generous credit acceptance policies. Transferring may seem like a big undertaking, but with the right support, you will be settling into your new community in no time.
Take Your Time With Next Steps
In the same way that you took your time deciding where to go to college or what major you might pursue, you should also give yourself plenty of time to adjust to the pace and expectations of college. Some students find that it’s really similar to their high school experience, but others totally feel like a fish out of water for months. Everyone adjusts at their own pace, so don’t compare your own journey to someone else’s.
And remember: you’re not just in college to earn a degree. But you’re also there to make friends and grow and have new experiences. So don’t get too bent if your first semester isn’t everything you dreamed it would be. Instead, focus on what you can do to change things up and find your rhythm. Coursework aside, college is many students’ first opportunity to make their own decisions and be fully responsible for themselves. It’s a big change but with the right attitude and support, it can also be a great one.
If your first college experience doesn’t feel like the right fit, that doesn’t mean college isn’t right for you. It might just mean you haven’t found your place yet.
At The University of Olivet, we’ve built a community where students are known, supported and encouraged to be themselves. If that sounds like what you’ve been missing, come experience it for yourself.