Moving away to college feels like a fresh start, but also like leaving an entire life behind. From adjusting to new living spaces and roommate dynamics to tackling academic rigor and cultural shifts, making the University feel like home can be daunting. Fortunately, nearly every student goes through the same transition.
Alexandra Jacot, a sophomore majoring in chemical engineering, said that it took her almost five months to call campus home, but that it was a lot easier to make friends in college since everyone was in the same position.
“Simple question: what’s your name? What’s your major? Wanna grab lunch? And then boom: friends,” Jacot said.
The first step is always the easiest one, yet some students fear making deeper connections will be difficult. In fact, Sharlene Newman, a professor in the psychology department said that based on 20 years of working with undergraduate students, the transition to a college environment is different for every student.
“Moving away from everyone and everything you know can be both scary and exciting. You are forced to socialize, live with and share a bathroom with new people,” Newman said. “This is also an important period of brain development and when some students may experience depression for the first time or other psychological stressors. Students should give themselves grace and time to adjust.”
The transition is not perfect, and some peers may be moving at different rates as they learn to live and thrive within their new home.
“There’s always somewhat of a learning curve to it. I know personally I had friends who had a really hard time adjusting to college life, and it was like we were forcing them to socialize at times,” Haylie Keller, a senior on the pre-optometry track, said. “They would throw themselves into work which is good, but then you kind of miss out on a lot of the other fun parts of being at Bama. It’s harder if you’ve never been away from home.”
While the learning curve may be inevitable, it is in no way impossible to overcome. Newman said that peers with similar interests are a wonderful way to connect and that there are clubs and groups on campus to aid in that process. The transition, she added, is a perfect time to open oneself to new experiences by working with people from different backgrounds and pushing oneself to grow as a person.
“I found that the new environment prompted me to socialize a lot more and meet a lot of new people,” Jacot said. “Before, I tended to stick to a few crowds, so it was nice to be able to switch it up.”
For some students, the start of college can come with several struggles. “Stay in touch with your childhood friends and family,” Newman said. “It’s not hard to text and call/Facetime the people you love. Good friends who love you for who you are hard to find, so keep them if you can.”
Going into her senior year, Keller still connects with her high school friends but knows that they aren’t the same carefree high schoolers they were when she first moved away.
“I moved nine hours away with no one from my high school going here. If those people are truly your friends and are meant to stay in your life, you’ll find a way to connect with them while still being your most authentic self and making friends here,” Keller said.
“My advice to students is to be kind to yourself and others. Even though you are legally an adult and are being asked to make adult decisions, you are still developing. Your brain is still developing,” Newman said. “Kindness to yourself looks like seeking help when you need it. Go to your professor’s office hours, get a tutor, go to counseling services, call your family and stay active.”
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