08/22/2026
Freshman Year: Nobody Expects You to Have It All Figured Out
For thousands of college freshmen, this week represents one of the biggest transitions of their lives. New campus. New roommate. New expectations. New freedom.
And for many students, a surprising amount of anxiety. Social media makes college move-in look like one giant celebration. Dorm rooms are decorated, parents take pictures, new friends appear almost instantly and everyone seems excited.
What you do not see is the student lying in bed that first night wondering, “Did I make the right decision?” That feeling is more normal than you think.
Freedom Can Be Stressful:
For perhaps the first time, nobody is telling you when to wake up, when to study, what to eat or when to go to bed. That independence is exciting, but psychologically it can also be overwhelming.
College freshmen are simultaneously navigating academic pressure, social expectations, homesickness, relationships, finances, sleep disruption, alcohol exposure and uncertainty about their future. That is a lot of change happening at once
You Do Not Need to Find Your People During Orientation Week:
One of the biggest mistakes freshmen make is believing they should immediately have a friend group. You might not. The people you meet during your first week of college do not have to become your lifelong friends.
Friendships develop through repetition. Sit next to someone in class. Join an organization. Go to the gym. Attend campus events. Ask someone if they want to grab food. Most importantly, keep showing up.
Protect Your Mental Health Before You Are Struggling:
Do not wait until anxiety, depression, loneliness or academic stress becomes overwhelming.
Create structure early:
Get enough sleep. Exercise. Eat adequately. Stay connected with people from home while still building a life on campus. Learn where your university counseling and health services are located. And if you take psychiatric medication, this is not the semester to suddenly decide that you “feel fine” and stop taking it without discussing it with your prescriber.
Your First Semester Is Not Your Final Identity:
You might change your major. You might struggle in a class. You might get homesick. You might realize the friends you initially made are not your people. You might even question whether you belong there.
None of those things automatically mean you are failing:
College is supposed to challenge you. Part of freshman year is learning how to function independently while discovering who you are when your parents, hometown, high school reputation and childhood friend group are no longer defining your daily life.
So to every freshman walking onto campus this fall:
• Give yourself time.
• You do not need to have college figured out
by Labor Day.
• Go to class.
• Meet people.
• Try things.
• Ask for help when you need it.
• Call home.
• Take care of your body and your mind.
And remember: being uncomfortable during a major life transition does not necessarily mean you made the wrong decision. Sometimes it means you are growing.
