Starting college is a new chapter in your life. It involves major changes that you may not be used to. New college students might struggle with the new environment and need a little advice. It’s hard being away from your parents, living in a dorm with someone or by yourself, and the change in schedules. It’s a time in your life where everything is new and will take you lots of adjustment.
Lily Barady, a graduate of New Hartford, attends college at Buffalo State. She shared that the biggest change from high school to college is freedom and independence. Having to live on her own has given her benefits, but also many hardships. Having to learn to live on her own has been a challenge for her in college.
“You think you know everything, but reality hits you in the face. It takes time for you to settle into a routine that makes you confident in yourself to be motivated” Lily said.
College can play an effect on mental health. Whether it’s a positive outcome or negative, it’s a whole new lifestyle. Thankfully, Lily’s college experience so far has improved her mental health due to her focusing on herself more and overall has made her happier.
Lily enjoys the freedom and independence of college because she is living on her own. She says she has grown “because of the independence and having things done on my time and not when my parents want.”
This may have been hard for her at the beginning, she learned to adjust and make it the best experience. However, she shared that the hardest part was to find a routine and the motivation to do things on certain days because of the change from being pushed to having no discipline.
Morgan Freiberger, a graduate of New Hartford High School, attends college at Clemson University. Morgan feels her college experience has been a major learning curve.
“I really didn’t realize how far away from home I was and how dependent I was on the people around me,” Morgan said. “Having all this new freedom comes with a lot of stress because you don’t have someone to bring you back on track, and you have to be responsible for yourself.”
Morgan is about 800 miles away from home in Clemson, South Carolina. It’s been hard not to see her loved ones whenever she wants.
“Of course there’s FaceTime and texting, but nothing compares to being with them in person,” she explained.
Although it has been hard for Morgan to adjust to seeing family less, she is learning how to be okay with being alone. Morgan describes herself as a people person and finds it difficult not being able to be around her people.
Morgan is very set on her schedule. She makes sure to put school first. In college, there is a lot more time in between classes. Morgan chooses to spend that time getting her work done, or spend an afternoon getting ahead on her work so she can have time with her friends or events. Her favorite part of college is meeting her new best friend, Mallory. She thought going to a college so far away would be tough for her to make friends, so being able to talk to someone and connect and stay in contact helped Morgan really enjoy college.
My older sister, Brianna, went to New Hartford and attended college at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Brianna regretted not going away for college. She believes that living in a dorm and being in a new place surrounded by new people is something everyone should experience at least once. She wishes she explored her options more for what majors and careers she pursued because she has a Bachelor’s degree in something that’s not useful to her.
“One thing I wish I knew about was all the different scholarships you could apply for and how to do it the most financially responsible” Brianna said. “Another tip that would’ve been beneficial was to buy used textbooks. Even if they are stained or torn, spend your money wisely and buy or rent used textbooks.”
Brianna’s best piece of advice would be to take college seriously, but not too seriously. Work hard for the degree, but “..failing that test will not be the end of the world.” She believes everyone should get their work done on time because it’s too easy to fall behind and become overwhelmed, but everyone deserves a break and should make time for their friends and yourself.
“They say that these should be the best years of your life,” Brianna said. “Enjoy them to the fullest and cherish the time you spend with your people.”