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Overwhelmed for college

I stayed home from college this semester because of COVID, but the spring semester starts January 4th where I go and I am now moving onto campus. But, I feel very lost and overwhelmed about getting everything I need, especially with the holidays coming up as well. I also don't get my room assignment until 2 weeks before I go, which makes it very hard to plan things, and I won't know my roommate until then as well. I am just feeling overwhelmed about moving out of my home state, and have no idea what I need and don't. If any of you have any advice or suggestions that would be greatly appreciated :)

Re: Overwhelmed for college

Hey there! I'm sorry you're feeling so overwhelmed. With everything going on in the world, the holidays, and major life changes, I'm not surprised you feel this way. It's completely understandable. College alone is stressful! The first thing I would do is contact an advisor. Email them about your stress and concerns and ask if they can point you in the right direction. They can probably point you to someone who can better answer your questions about preparedness. Then I would gather all your paperwork, online and off, and organize it. Within your paperwork or files, there may be something helpful regarding your concerns. If not, it feels good to get organized.

If it were me, I would make a plan. I would make a to-do list. This can include things you need to accomplish before you leave, and things you still need to figure out. When you are done with something, cross it out. The simple act of being able to cross something off a to-do list feels amazing and helps to feel more in control.

I have never moved on campus for college, so I'm not much help in the way of what you would need for that. My suggestion is to watch some YouTube videos and do some research on "how to prepare for university" or "things needed to move onto college campus". Does your college have dorm advisors? Or I don't know what they are actually called, but something like that? You can always contact them to see if they can give your more information.

Lastly- deep breaths! This is such a stressful time, and I know it feels chaotic. I always feel like my brain is in chaos when I first start the quarter. Make sure your ducks are in a row, contact anyone about what you may need. I've learned that contacting someone, even if it's the wrong person, is beneficial because they can direct you to the right person. You've got this!

You also mentioned that you stayed home for the summer? Did you attend school previously? Do you remember anything about that experience that would help you right now?

I wish you the very best of luck, and a happy, relaxed holiday :D

Re: Overwhelmed for college

Hey Danni,

Thanks for reaching out!! First of all, what you're undergoing is completely natural. Moving into college is stressful as it is; and on top of that we have to deal with the constraints imposed by the pandemic as well. But let me assure you that sometimes we stress over things more than necessary, and it might not turn out all that bad :)

Remember that you're not the only one - many others moving into college for the first time would probably going through the same concerns as you. What I'd advise is to take things one step at a time, and to start early. You can do little bits of work regarding this each day rather than do them all at once.

I moved continents for college, so you can imagine how much packing I had to do. I started by making a list of the things I needed - that's the first step. I suggest that you sit down for an hour or so now and brainstorm all the things you need for college. You might want to sort them into categories e.g. clothes, books, stationery, etc. I understand that you will need time to organise things for the holidays too. Make a separate list for that as well, perhaps on another day. I know it sounds cliche, but making lists about things you need to do is super handy. It gives you a framework to refer to.

Then, you can focus on getting these items. Set aside some days whereby you focus on getting all your need for the holidays. Then, once that's done and dusted, you can set aside time to get all you need for college. I emphasise that you don't have to do it all in one go - you can get little bits of packing/shopping/collecting items done each day, and they'll all cumulatively reach a point whereby you're satisfied with what you have. You still have around a month till college starts - that's sufficient time. If you start this process now, you'll feel much more at ease once the day of moving gets closer.

As for moving to a dorm, I know how daunting it can be. But your future roommates are in the same boat as you! Many would be interested in making new friends. My advise to you would be to initiate the conversation when it comes to making friends - it really helps. I'm an introvert, but I made myself do this when I was in my first year of university. You'll come to know that there are nice people out there :)

Last but not least, remember to stay optimistic! In a month or so, all this stress would be over - you'd have gotten your room allotment, you'd have moved in and all the moving/packing hassle would have come to a conclusion.

To help you stay motivated, perhaps you might want to plan some activities you'd like to engage in at college, or places you'd like to visit in this state your college is in, as a way of anticipating the moving-to-college process? You might already have some ideas in mind.

Remember, college is a great time for us to grow, interact and have amazing experiences! I wish you the very best!

Feel free to DM me if you have any questions! :hug: