If you’re an incoming college freshman, remember that no matter what you are feeling, it is completely valid. This is an exciting transition in many people’s lives, meeting new friends, moving into your first dorm, and discovering a new sense of independence. It can also be quite intimidating, whether you’re going to college in-state or out of state. Saying goodbye to your family and friends back home, living on your own, and branching out of your comfort zone. That is exactly what I felt my freshman year at URI. Excited, scared, every feeling possible all at once.
Being a part of the Talent Development Summer Program definitely helped my transition into my first year at college. It gave me insight into living with other people, balancing academics and my social life, and the college experience. After officially moving into my dorm and saying goodbye to my mom, I felt a new, unfamiliar feeling. For the first time in my life, I was on my own. It was scary at first, unsure what I was supposed to do or how to navigate everything. But over the course of my freshman year, it became as natural as brushing my teeth in the morning. I was also starting a new on-campus job in the fall at Campus Recreation as a Blog Writer, which I was very nervous about. But once I started to settle into my new environment, everything started to fall into place.
College does have its ups and downs, especially the first year. It’s a lot of change all at once, and while some adapt easily to new environments, I wasn’t one of those people. Some moments felt too much or overwhelming, and it felt like the idea of college was romanticized. I would see my peers living the “college experience” all over social media, and it made me feel like something was missing. I spent part of freshman year comparing my experience to everyone else’s, only to realize that there isn’t one “right” way to do college. For some, they are attracted to the social and nightlife scene. For others, it’s staying in the library with friends studying until midnight every week. For me, it was the little things I cherished the most that made my first year of college memorable: making short films and staying in the Broadcast Center late at night with other film majors during the Spring semester. Being welcomed into my sorority by my soon-to-be life-long sisters. Staying in the marketing office longer to hang out with my co-workers turned friends. It was these small moments that were the most significant and helped me feel like I had a place here.
Becoming a blog writer for Campus Rec became one of the places where I slowly found my community at URI. Helping with tabling events like Welcome Day, getting to know so many incredible people, and having more passion within my field of studies, all within warm and friendly environments. Branching out of my comfort zone used to be my greatest challenge. But being apart of Campus Rec helped me overcome that obstacle. Some people say that you find your people in college, and now I’m starting to experience that. One of our core values we promote at Campus Rec is finding where you belong, and being able to connect with my community certainly reassured me that I did have a place here.
Reflecting on my freshman year, my advice for those who are going through a similar journey is to trust that everything happens with time. There will be moments when everything feels like it’s crashing down around you, when everything is stressful or not as you hoped. But those moments are temporary. What lasts are the connections you make, the people who remind you that you belong. While it may not seem like it at first, it does get better. Everything I experienced in my first year has taught me a lot of things. It taught me patience, endurance, and the importance of community. Most importantly, I learned that growth takes time, and the people and the memories along the way make the journey worth it.
By: Aaliyah Holford
Graduating May 2029
Major: Communications and Film Media