A warm hello to you! I’m back on The Hill circa yesterday (many thanks to my dear older sister for dropping me off on the way back to her university) and ready to conquer the last few weeks of the semester.
It was a great joy to see my family over Thanksgiving break: I fielded many questions about how I was finding the semester and the college experience overall, and found myself incredibly thankful that I could answer their questions with ease.
It spurred me to reflect on how I was feeling a year ago around this time. In a word? Frazzled. My relatives seeking small talk about college plans were received with nervous smiles and anxious fidgeting from yours truly. They all told me I would be fine, and trust me, I really wanted to take their word for it, but my worries still nagged at me.
For those of you in the thick of college applications, take my (recycled) word for it: you will be fine.
As it turns out, we are a species that can adapt to quite literally anything. It takes time, and sure, there are bumps in the road and tough moments, but it’s nothing we can’t handle. We are equipped to grow, to change, to adjust.
And oh, is college an adjustment! The independence and freedom are both refreshing and overwhelming. Invariably, it will be daunting, and when it becomes too daunting to handle, you lean on your community. You call your mom. You watch the Peanuts holiday specials with your friends. You FaceTime your friends from home. And soon enough, you realize…
I am going to be fine.
So, to any high school seniors out there, keep the faith. You are going to end up exactly where you are meant to be. And for my fellow college students, keep up the great work for just a few more weeks! We’ll be back with our families before we know it.
In the meantime, enjoy my new friend Snoopy being his fabulous self. He’s lacking his stylish puffer jacket, but adorable nonetheless:
I hope you all enjoyed your holidays! I’ll see you in the next edition.
