For the class of 2023, stepping into the “college experience” can be a drastic change in life. Between balancing life on their own, the start of classes, and making friends, a lot of freshmen are probably feeling anxious and overwhelmed. If you’re feeling similarly, you’re not alone. 

“The moving in process was fine, but settling in… is taking a while,” says Magdalyn Hugo ’23, a first-year student. When asked about how social life has been, she replied: “I don’t really have many people who go out of their way to hang out outside of class…hopefully joining clubs will help, but the process of making friends is going to take longer.” 

Erica Druvfa ’23, another first-year, said that she “met people in classes and pre-orientation” and that sometimes, she has found that people “need to be outgoing to make friends.” 

On top of a social sphere that the new class are trying to build, they are also learning how to balance the workload from classes. “I’ve been managing my time okay… but I’m a little tired and anxious about getting work done,” said Druvfa. 

Friendships aren’t easy to come by, and starting college is a learning process. Hugo offered some advice. “Pursue friendships that you like… if you like the relationship or vibes around a person, then you should become friends with them.”