You Don’t Have to Swim, You Just Have to Float …

By Samaj Schell

RWMC Article

You Don’t Have to Swim, You Just Have to Float

Three things I wish someone told me coming into college

As a college student who’s had a rough start — beginning freshman year in the middle of a global pandemic, stepping away for a while, and eventually finding my way back — I know a thing or two about uncertainty. Graduating high school in 2020 meant skipping the send-off, the advice, the “here’s what to expect” conversations most students get before starting college. We were never given the manual for college. Just a bin of knickknacks and a thumbs up, with the expectation we'll do great our first week, when in reality we feel like we're drowning the second we set down the last box. Still no manual — just three things I wish I’d known. 

1. Jump in and splash around

You've officially entered the "now what" stage — and here's the good news: you're not alone. Hundreds of other students, and even a few professors, are figuring things out right alongside you. So don't stress. Get settled in first, then start considering how involved you want to get.

Welcome week is the perfect place to start. Schools go all out showcasing clubs and activities, so use that window to see what's out there. If something doesn't click, try something else. If you can't find what you're looking for, make it yourself — chances are other students are hoping for the same thing.

2. Utilize your professors and resources

A few weeks in, professors start picking up the pace — more assignments, tighter deadlines. Do you let the stress get to you? The answer should be no. Let it be known instead of carrying it alone.

I'll admit, this is something I struggled with. In high school, I rarely asked for help — teachers practically had to beg me. As a college student approaching graduation, I still catch myself falling into that habit, but I've learned that to actually reach my goals, I have to get help wherever I can find it.

Your professors were students once too, so don't be intimidated to ask. They have their own lives and classes to manage, so it's on you to speak up. There's no shame in it — professors are there to help you learn, but you can’t know you need support unless you speak up; it's what they're there for. And if a professor feels like too big a step, campus centers exist specifically to help.

3. Comparison is the timeline killer

When I was 17, I was about to graduate high school — and then we fell into a global pandemic. I graduated over Zoom and started freshman year with masks on and a nearly empty campus. I didn't do well academically that first year and felt like a failure. Eventually I took a gap year and just worked, until my best friend's mom dragged me to community college because she knew I was meant for more.

I felt behind everyone I'd graduated with, who were already finishing their bachelor's degrees. But I had to remind myself we're all moving at our own pace. It's been four years since then, and I'm on track to finish my bachelor's while working internships in the fields I want to build a life in. Your time will be your time — so what are you going to do with it?

So no, there's still no manual — but now you've got more than a bin of knickknacks and a thumbs up. Jump in, ask for help, and let go of comparing your timeline to anyone else's. You'll figure it out. You're already doing it.