Anonymous

Photography by Yan Liu

If you're reading this, it’ll be okay.

I, like many others, was anxious about moving into a new dorm. I wanted to fit in and find my people, all while trying to balance a whole different level of workload compared to high school. With all this pressure I put on myself about needing to be around people due to not being comfortable alone, my grades started to struggle. This would add more stress. Pair it with lying to my parents and it was just a downward spiral. At this point I had neither education nor the so-called “friend group” I was looking for. I wish I could tell myself two things. One, that it will get better, and two, to be comfortable with being alone, because everything else will fall in place.

Towards second semester, I was comfortable in my social setting, but I was neglecting school. This was always taking up space in my head, never letting me be at rest or peace, because I knew the shoe was going to drop. I wish I knew this, but professors understand. The transition to freshman year is incredibly hard for many people, like it was for myself. Every time I tried to fix anything, it would feel like I was too far down the hole. It was important to remind myself that there are people that are ready to help without judgement. It may take time, and you may not be able to make everything perfect, but conscious effort will rapidly improve your mental health, which is the most important thing. I wish I started to work on myself earlier but even later is better than never.

Fast forward to my sophomore year, and I have formed habits for myself to try and create a balance that works best for me. The main thing was the academic struggle that would take up space in the back of my mind and would always bug me. This was my first priority to clear my mind, and then I would just have fun, whether that be alone or with friends. True friends come eventually. You have to put in a little effort, but just give it time. It is completely normal to spiral, struggle, and be anxious even a few months into college. Just know it will get better when you work on yourself. Be confident and it will be okay.

Anonymous, Virginia Commonwealth University

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