If I could sum up the first week of classes at the University, the word I would have to use is “nerve-wracking.” From meeting new professors to the adjustment of college-level academia, it has been a roller coaster ride. Everyone is helpful, but it is still overwhelming at times. Many of the people giving out advice seem to spout off lists of what to do and what not to do: get to know your professors, eat healthy, join clubs, etc. Before you know it, you are lying on your new bed in your dorm room with an overload of thoughts. Believe me, this is the genuine feeling of most of your fellow first-year students. Even if you attempt to list everything you need to do, it is never fully complete, and that is okay.

You are expected to make mistakes your first year on campus, and there is nothing wrong with that. Soon you will develop your own patterns and fall naturally into your niche. I ask you to take a deep breath with me, relieve the stress, and enjoy every moment. Unfortunately, even if you do not wish to acknowledge it, the class of 2019 will be seniors sooner than you think.

I want to leave you with a quote by Amit Ray to ponder: “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”