# I'm starting college



## Emily29 (Jun 16, 2020)

Hi everyone, so I'm starting college in the fall which is very scary for me and I guess I just need someone to talk to about this. For those of you who are in college, how are your experiences in college? And is there anything that helps you through it? I'm just very nervous and I need some advice.


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## Mango__ (Feb 11, 2020)

Congratulations! What exactly are you nervous about?

College will be great though. You meet great people, lots of staff that can offer you help, heaps of student support services available, super flexible everything, great atmosphere because everyone's going there to learn. Just make sure you attend your classes, figure out your own routine, ask for help if you're struggling with something because there'll always be someone that can help you and just let go and have some fun the rest of the time.


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## Emily29 (Jun 16, 2020)

Mango__ said:


> Congratulations! What exactly are you nervous about?
> 
> College will be great though. You meet great people, lots of staff that can offer you help, heaps of student support services available, super flexible everything, great atmosphere because everyone's going there to learn. Just make sure you attend your classes, figure out your own routine, ask for help if you're struggling with something because there'll always be someone that can help you and just let go and have some fun the rest of the time.


Thank you so much for your kind words! 
I'm mostly nervous about meeting new people. I was bullied a lot in high school and I have a very hard time making friends because of my anxiety, and so I'm afraid that I won't make any friends and that I'm going to be alone. Also the thought of being around so many new people is very scary for me. I'm glad that there are student support services and everything, so there's someone there if I need help, and I'm going to try my best to have some fun and to meet people, but of course it's very overwhelming.


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## Mango__ (Feb 11, 2020)

Emily29 said:


> Thank you so much for your kind words!
> I'm mostly nervous about meeting new people. I was bullied a lot in high school and I have a very hard time making friends because of my anxiety, and so I'm afraid that I won't make any friends and that I'm going to be alone. Also the thought of being around so many new people is very scary for me. I'm glad that there are student support services and everything, so there's someone there if I need help, and I'm going to try my best to have some fun and to meet people, but of course it's very overwhelming.


Oh I was bullied a lot in high school so I had the exact same fear too haha. But people at college are a lot more grown up and 110% nicer. If you want to get a head start on getting to know people from the comfort of your home, colleges usually have Facebook pages you can join specifically for making friends at the same campus. Otherwise clubs or your classes are probably the next best thing. Enjoy your college life


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## MCHB (Jan 1, 2013)

Emily29 said:


> Hi everyone, so I'm starting college in the fall which is very scary for me and I guess I just need someone to talk to about this. For those of you who are in college, how are your experiences in college? And is there anything that helps you through it? I'm just very nervous and I need some advice.


Awesomeness! What courses are you taking?


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## Manooffewwords (Jun 25, 2015)

Emily29 said:


> Thank you so much for your kind words!
> I'm mostly nervous about meeting new people. I was bullied a lot in high school and I have a very hard time making friends because of my anxiety, and so I'm afraid that I won't make any friends and that I'm going to be alone. Also the thought of being around so many new people is very scary for me. I'm glad that there are student support services and everything, so there's someone there if I need help, and I'm going to try my best to have some fun and to meet people, but of course it's very overwhelming.


But you will eventually find someone as your best friend!


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## EmotionlessThug (Oct 4, 2011)

My experience in college is atrocious. I'm on my second year of college. This semester I'm taking abnormal psychology, personality psychology, and retaking pre-algebra virtually. 


Before the pandemic, nobody in my class is sociable towards me. I had an English professor told me in her office that she see's me quite in class, and she thinks I'm shy. When in fact, she's always teaching a serious class and expects the class to be quite. The same English professor question one of my classmates during a group activity about "why they're not engaging with me."


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## bjorkdork (Oct 1, 2020)

Thank you for making this post I am in the same situation with the same questions.


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## finolamartin1999 (Oct 16, 2020)

I'm in college too studying Communications


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## FloridaGuy48 (Jun 30, 2014)

Emily29 said:


> Thank you so much for your kind words!
> I'm mostly nervous about meeting new people. I was bullied a lot in high school and I have a very hard time making friends because of my anxiety, and so I'm afraid that I won't make any friends and that I'm going to be alone. Also the thought of being around so many new people is very scary for me. I'm glad that there are student support services and everything, so there's someone there if I need help, and I'm going to try my best to have some fun and to meet people, but of course it's very overwhelming.


Are you going to a local community college or a college some distance from home. If its a local college you may end up having to deal with the same bullies that you had to endure in high school. People mature a bit in college from high school but their are still a bunch of A holes in college. Hopefully its a school where no one knows you and can get a fresh start.

College can be hell for someone with social anxiety. I had a horrible time in college and had to dropout. Most colleges require you take a speech or communications class to graduate. I would have panic attacks (turning red, shaking and trembling very bad, difficulty speaking and thinking. Not fun) when I was required to speak in class. So I could not handle it. Didnt make any friends either really. Not a good situation. Are you living on campus or off? I lived off campus with my parents. If your planning on living on campus they may make it a lot easier to make friends with people who have a lot in common with you. With the current Covid situation im not sure but things will probaly be handled differently then normal. Lot more online classes would be my guess.

If I could go back in time and do college again the first thing I would do is see a Dr. or therapist to improve your SA. Need to be able to get to a place where you can function around people. Medication can help. A benzo like valium or Xanax before a situation that gives you a lot of anxiety can help you get through it. Wish I had thought of that at the time. Would have relaxed me and helped me get through speeches.

My other advice would be to get involved in as many school activities that interests you and have people in them that are supportive and nice to you.

Whats is your major by the way?

Anyway you can message me if you need some more advice. Good luck college can be the best time of your life or the worst. If you have bad SA that you cant manage it will be horrible.


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## Emily29 (Jun 16, 2020)

Hi everyone, I'm really sorry I haven't posted on here in so long, I've just been really busy so I haven't been on this forum a lot. Thank you all so much for being so nice and for caring so much, it really means a lot to me! I actually started college about a month ago and so far it's going really great for me! 🙂 I'm going to college in a very big city that's very far away from where I used to live and I feel like living in a new city is really helping me with my anxiety because I feel like I can really start over and I'm not always reminded of my past. I live in an apartment off campus (we don't have campus housing here in Germany), but I have a flatmate who is very nice. The only problem is that I have to take most of my classes online because of the whole Corona situation, so that makes it harder for me to meet new people, but it's also a relief because I feel like taking classes via Zoom is not as scary as actually going to campus and having to talk to people in person. 
I actually had a Zoom meeting last week and in the beginning the professor asked us how college was going for us so far, with classes being online and everything and I said that I find it hard to meet new people since I only just moved and I don't know anyone. It was really hard for me to say that in front of so many people and I still can't believe I did it because it's not like me and I think a month ago I never would have done it. And then later another girl who is taking this class with me wrote to me and said that she felt lonely too and that we could always write to each other or talk on the phone if I wanted to. We have been texting for over a week now and she is such a nice person! I still feel anxious talking to her sometimes because we haven't known each other that long, but it's nice to have a friend.
I'm majoring in English by the way 🙂

I know there are many of you who feel scared about going to college and I understand how you feel, but I just want you to know that sometimes doing the thing that scares you is really worth it and things might turn out so much differently than you expect them to 🙂


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

College wasn't anything spectacular about it. I didn't understand why in high-school they made every think it was some magically place. I was a commuter student so I didn't spend much time outside of class. Just went to class and went home. I had to take speech which was 15 weeks of hell but luckily the Instructor gave me a C so I was done with it. I didn't make any long term friends. I did talk with others but it didn't go further than Acquaintance.


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## OCDguy1 (Jan 12, 2021)

Hi all, I hope you are all well, and keeping safe in these COVID times. I just wanted to send you all best wishes in your studies. I can relate to bullying, it sucks, more needs to be done to address the problem. Hang in there, you are all inspirational


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## Dan the man (Jul 4, 2013)

Emily29 said:


> Hi everyone, so I'm starting college in the fall which is very scary for me and I guess I just need someone to talk to about this. For those of you who are in college, how are your experiences in college? And is there anything that helps you through it? I'm just very nervous and I need some advice.


Don't ever be afraid to reach out to a counselor or someone to talk too if you're feeling overwhelmed by it. Or this site. Or write blogs here.

When I was going to school I was too proud/shy/embarassed to do so. And in retrospect that was really dumb


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## RSxo (Apr 19, 2018)

Congratulations! Don't worry about making friends - right now it might seem like this new unfamiliar place, but everyone else there feels just the same way! Meet awesome people, get involved into activities, study hard, and you'll have a great time! <3


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