The college transition and other first-year fears

College can be tough, but on-campus resources are here to help

Tori Thomas | Assistant Opinion Editor | The USD Vista

Taking those first steps onto campus as a first-year student can be intimidating. Everything is new, right down to the streets being walked on under the San Diego sun. With a melting pot of backgrounds, ideas, and personalities; the transition to college can be a daunting one to make.

For sophomore Lauren Wood, the worries she had as a first year are not difficult to recall.

“I was afraid of failure,” Wood said. “Having been undiagnosed with ADHD much of high school, I didn’t have much experience being able to focus on and do well in classes. I was terrified that my success in school once I’d been diagnosed and medicated for ADHD, was somehow a fluke.”

Junior Raquel Bours expressed her own difficulties with the transition and the swarm of worries she was faced with.

“My biggest fears were language barriers,” Bours said. “Not being able to make any friends, encountering racism and not handling it well, or having my roommates hate me.”

Counselor Kathleen Grassetti at the USD Wellness Center has had a few first years pass through her office. 

“As with most life transitions, there are many fears and anxieties that accompany a first year college experience,” Grassetti said. “One of the most prevalent concerns we encounter is fear of not finding a community or strong social network. University of San Diego makes deliberate efforts to connect students to community-building opportunities throughout their entire educational experience.”

It is not just Grassetti who thinks that creating a community is one of the most important aspects of a smooth transition from high school to college.

“The community helped a lot,” Wood said. “The first thing I did was join Pride which was such a breath of fresh air because the high school I attended was wildly homophobic and my family isn’t accepting either, so it was important to be in an environment where I could be myself.”

Some incoming first years hear about the stereotypes of college: the wild parties, potential weight gain,and loss of friends back home; which can contribute to the anxieties experienced during the transition.

“A lot of what I heard about college was that it was a lot of partying, which is true if you seek it out but a lot of people really are just there to go to school,” Wood said. 

“Not all of the social scene revolves around alcohol.”

Counselor Grassetti also touched on the problematic nature of many stereotypes.

“Stereotypes in most forms can be damaging as they set up a preconceived notion for an experience,” Grassetti said. “The transition to college comes with its challenges, including learning how to manage lifestyle choices. Establishing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle while studying at USD is important for academic performance and enjoyment of life, as well as achieving other goals.”

Healthy lifestyles for some seem like an impossible goal to reach in college. Fridges full of take out, sleepless nights spent haunched over the computer, and workout routines that never happen are all challenges faced during college years. But it is not just physical health that is important.

“Mental health is important and should be attended to in the same way we look for our physical well being.” Grasettie said, “On campus, there are lots of resources available to support students experiencing sadness, homesickness, stress, or just needing a supportive ear. It is important to remember that you are not alone if you are having a hard time transitioning to college life. There are lots of people on campus that want to help, reaching out for support is a sign of self-awareness and strength.”

Wood believed that the counselling center and the wellness center helped her a lot with easing her transitions and the mental health struggles that accompanied them.

“I went to the wellness center a couple months into school because I was just about at my breaking point,” Wood said. “It was really easy to go in and make an appointment to see a counselor, and it was incredibly helpful. The counselor I saw helped me work through some of the things I was going through and helped me call counselors covered by my insurance to continue with more long term counseling.”

Bours went to the counselling center as well and was redirected to the Center for Student Success to help with her academics.

“The Center for Student Success helped keep on track with my homework and get a better time management system,” Bours said. “They informed me I had the option of taking an MLA, and the next year I did. It helped me a lot.”

The transition from high school into college is a difficult time for everyone and it is important to remember that no one is alone in experiencing those struggles. 

Bours went to school in Mexico and at USD was faced with a difficult transition process, not only academically but culturally.

“I was used to doing well without really trying but here I had to do the readings and develop a study system,” Bours said. “There was also the difference in interactions between people in SD and what I was used to back in Mexico, it just felt a lot more distant which lead me to feel more alone than I really was.”

There are many resources that can be utilized in times of need, especially when dealing with the loneliness that can come from the transition from high school to college. The Counseling Center is just the beginning; along with the Student Health Center, The Center for Health and Wellness Promotion, and University Ministry, as well as Scholastic and Resident Assistants, that specialize in helping incoming students.

Counselor Grassetti wanted to remind everyone that the stress that comes from this change is normal and can be overcome.

“College opens a new chapter of a student’s life academically, socially, and personally,”  Grassetti said. “There is newfound independence and a  myriad of critical decisions that first-year students may be experiencing for the first time. Expect to feel some stress and homesickness, but don’t let these issues wear you down.”

As first years take their first steps into adulthood and freedom, it is important to remember the stressors, anxiety, and fear may all be part of the mixed emotions felt. The USD community is here to act as a supporting net and a guiding hand for future prosperity.