Thinking back on the last year regarding my daughter’s experience as a freshman at College, I reflect upon what a rollercoaster ride it has been. Mind you, it turned out to be a great year for her, and academically it was her best year ever. However it is the rollercoaster ride that bears talking about.
Every student who has gone through a college admission process, and sets his or her sights on a coveted place at their dream school, enters the process with a bit of trepidation. Once they have secured a place at their chosen destination, a whole new set of anxieties sets in. “Will I make friends?” and “Will I be academically successful?” are a few that come to mind. However these kinds of doubts are normal and expected, but sometimes, what needs more attention are the more difficult aspects that need to be dealt with during the challenging pre-transitional period.
While she was very excited about the courses she had been enrolled on, she was unaware of the different types of professors she would come across: full-time, part-time, and adjunct professors, not to mention tenured professors who struggled with their hearing and sight. One of her professors was teaching part-time at several different universities in the area. Communicating with him and arranging office appointments was a challenge.
Coming from a high school where teachers were easily accessible made the adjustment period harder. Furthermore, as a new member of the student body, getting to grips with the names and whereabouts of members of faculty can make the beginning phase of college life much more daunting.
Another issue for newly enrolled students at college is the expectations of their professors, many of whom will have differing approaches to their teaching role. Some of what they expect will differ significantly from what students are used to in high school. Attending more classes, having to write papers using a blue fountain pen, grammar dictators, deadlines with no exceptions, and adjusting to more free time are just some of the concerns students will have to deal with. In addition to a new and what may be a grueling schedule, students will also have to contend with a number of different teaching styles and execution of academic programs. For example, how might a fresher deal with a professor who decides to change the direction of a course in the middle of a semester?
On one occasion my daughter was sick and asked if she should get a doctor’s note for missing class. But things became more complicated when my brother in-law passed away and we planned to attend the funeral. Having notified all of her teachers in advance, everything seemed set. But while she was away, one of her professors assigned students a major group project, leaving her out of the mix. She had to plead or do the project on her own.
My daughter’s school has a Winterim period during January. There are fewer classes and many students study abroad during this time. My daughter decided to stay and take a language class. With fewer students on campus, a cold winter season and the reality that she had chosen a school in the middle of nowhere hit her hard. That mingled with unexpectedly having to “rush” for a sorority, led to more anxiety, (“Rush” is a time for potential new members, usually referred to as “rushees”, to go through a recruitment process to secure membership at their chosen sorority house – if you think applying to university is hard, wait until you rush. Brutal!).
Anyway, what I refer to as the ‘Freshman Blues’ hit like a hurricane in October. The Blues came from the overwhelming feelings that typically hit sometime around late January or February. Finally settled in, she thought she had everything figured out. However when she came home for the winter break, seeing all her old classmates resurfaced her feelings of wanting to be close to what was familiar and loved, “Dad, why did I choose this school?” “I have nothing in common with the other students.” All led to the dreaded – “I think I want to transfer.”
A perfect storm of events, loneliness, isolation, and being an international American are just a few of the things that added to the struggle. It is not unusual for students to go through this kind psychological pattern. While other students may want to transfer to trade up, my daughters’ emotional thread of consciousness may be more common in some ways. As a father and a college counselor, I turned to my college-counseling hat: “Go talk to someone!” Schools have loads of support services that many students are either unaware of, or feel ashamed to use. My daughter was neither, thankfully. Talking to someone can be the catalyst to preventing depression and other psychological issues, which many young people and students suffer from when under mounting stress, pressure, and isolation.
I tell all of my students, take a year to transition. There is so much to learn, to experience, to adjust to and be aware of in the first year. Let it all sink in before making a decision. There is no perfect school, but usually a student ends where they belong, it just may take some time to understand that. I will say that my daughter is bolder, more mature, and confident now that the year is over and thankfully she took all the right steps to successfully complete the year. With a sigh of relief, I know she is looking forward to taking on the next set of challenges in life.
Freshman Blues, be gone!
Photos: Pixabay
