Growth Wise College Advice Panel: What College is REALLY Like
Growth Wise held its first “College Advice” panel Zoom call, in what is sure to become an annual tradition, because the call was that good!
(Watch and share the recording here)
A handful of graduating high school students and current college students/graduates (all Growth Wise alumni) converged to share what we wish we knew when we were first going to college.
Graduating seniors asked the panel:
Is it OK to feel indifferent about going to school?
Is it normal to wonder if I chose the wrong school?
Is it normal to feel imposter syndrome? To wonder if you’re good enough to be there?
How do you adjust to a geographical location that’s wildly different than where you grew up?
My classmates are already making friends on social media, but I’m not. Will I get left out?
Does it look weird to do things on your own - going to the dining hall, studying, being alone in public - in college?
Meanwhile, graduates and current college students emphasized:
The contrast between how harrowing the drive to college was, along with some moments during the first week, before they found their feet, and friends, and quickly began to feel at home in their new life.
How diverse the kids - and opportunities - on college campuses are. Keep an open mind. Say ‘yes’ to new things. And know that anything you try (from a class to a major to a group of friends) is something you change your mind on later.
Give things time to unfold. Don’t rush to preconceived outcomes of how your friends should be, or your career path should be, or how school should be. Keep a mindset of simply exploring what’s out there.
Have the courage to put yourself out there! Reach out to possible friends you’re interested in knowing more. Go to the meetup that sounds curious even if you don’t know anything about it.
Favorite quotes:
Brooke, MIT ‘25:
“I thought that MIT was going to be this humongous nerd-fest, and it definitely is in some ways, but there’s also a really big Greek life, and you’re in Boston, you’re in a city. So I would not go in with a preconceived stereotype of what you think your life is going to be like, because I can guarantee you that there are going to be aspects of the university that you haven’t explored yet.”
Spencer, Bucknell ‘20:
“Going to school far away from home is a good risk to take. It’s normal to feel uncomfortable with it, but embrace it. Enjoy yourself and make the most of it.”
Athena, Occidental ‘21:
“I remember freshman year being so, so, so stressed about going to the dining hall alone, and needing to find a friend or someone to go with me. I was stressed about seeming like I didn’t have friends, or being the weird kid because of all the movies I had seen. But then I realized, every time I went to the dining hall, I would notice people who were alone and never once did I think any of those things. And once I made that realization, I started going on my own because I was hungry. Just allow yourself to do what feels right. Don’t force yourself to do something or not do something because you think that somebody else is going to have a thought about it.”
Jim, Harvard, ‘08:
“I wish I had known to give myself time. Time to not know my major yet. Time to figure out what I want to do for work. Time to figure out who my friends are. I was always trying to rush it - and like Skyler said, jump to outcomes, before they were ready.”
Myles, Cornell, ‘23:
“Freshman fall, prioritize being with friends. Go rock climbing. Go on adventures. Say yes more than you say no.”
Wilson, TCU, ‘24:
“There’s a lot of small talk when you first get there - you’re not going to be able to count the number of ‘Hey, where are you from? Where’d you go to high school? What classes are you taking?’ You had that conversation probably twenty times a day! And I hated all that. I thought it was superficial. I wish I could go back and tell myself, hey, everyone’s feeling the same way as you are. Everyone’s nervous. Everyone’s struggling with not having any real friendships yet. So just having a balance between letting it come to you and taking it slow, not feeling like you have to rush anything, but also putting yourself out there, even if it feels uncomfortable, For me it was difficult putting myself out there."
Skyler, Washington University, ‘12:
“At most schools you go to, there are so many different resources. Even if you’re not excited about one thing, like, take a glassblowing class, or something ridiculous that you wouldn’t do otherwise. You have nothing to lose. You’re already paying for it. Make the most of it in those ways. ‘I’m here to explore and be uncomfortable in some situations, but that’s what makes my life interesting.”
