A Letter to a College Student

Today's an interesting day because somebody randomly asked for my advice on how to adapt to college. I believe I may have had a few words to say about this since my journey wasn't necessarily a bed of roses. Surprisingly, the thoughts just flowed as I typed, and I realized just how much I went through in my college life. To help even more people out, I'm sharing with you my letter to that person below (in its rawest form) in case you find anything of value. I'd also love to read in the comments section other people's versions of how to adapt to college.

to tell you the truth, it wasn't easy for me since i ended up jumping right into a foreign university in a different country. aside from adjustments in college life, i also had to adapt to the cultural changes.

when i started in college, i had to stay at a dorm with an American roommate. i think this applies to anybody when I say: you should ALWAYS give way. when your roommates don't care about studying, when they're noisy, or whatever, you should be the one to ADJUST: find a suitable place for you to study if you wish (e.g., library). If there's something you hate about your roommates, it's best to just either keep it to yourself and try to make the best out of what you have, or talk to them in the nicest way possible.

Now, when it comes to school, let me tell you -- it may NOT be as easy as it was in high school. It is normal to have trouble finding your place in college. They always say that you should join as much clubs and orgs as you can to make new friends. Fact is, for me, I joined two clubs when I was a freshman: both of which I left immediately after the first semester simply because I wasn't comfortable with the people around me.

In the end, for my first two or three years in college, I wasn't active in my extra-curriculars and I didn't really have a lot of friends -- partly because it was hard to make friends with people from a different culture.

Don't be scared to tread along college by yourself, if that's what's most comfortable for you. If you can't make friends with the students, my BIGGEST advice would be: make friends with your TEACHERS because in the end, they are the ones who can help you succeed.

I found the strength and motivation from my professors. I ALWAYS sat in the front row. I ALWAYS knew my professors on a first AND last name basis. I would always make sure that THEY know ME on a first AND last name basis. Don't be afraid to step up to them and talk to them after class because you will gain knowledge and friendship from these people.

I remembered back then I was like you, very worried about whether or not I am capable of adjusting. I was scared because I didn't really have any friends to help me out. I didn't have clubs and orgs that would look good on my resume. I was alone. I did everything by myself. There even came a time where I was complaining to my parents and I told them that I just didn't find college challenging at all (I spoke too soon :P).

In the end, all you really have to do is HANG IN THERE. Just keep at it, keep doing what you need to do (PASS AND/OR EXCEL IN YOUR CLASSES). Eventually, as years go by and you inch closer towards graduation, I can assure you that you will find people just like you and you will make more friends. It is better to have friends that share the same interests as you -- and you will find these people during your junior/senior years because the diversity of the students in your classes will SHRINK as you start taking more and more subjects that relate to your degree. You will find that, in your senior year, almost ALL of you will be from the same major so you will be more comfortable around them. You will probably see the same faces over and over as you take more of those core subjects.

If you can (I know I failed in this aspect back then), find a 'buddy' who you can share your experiences with. I only gained a buddy when I was a junior, but it really helped me a lot. We took a lot of our subjects together, we even took our online exams together, and we would group together for projects.

I guarantee you that you will be able to find your place. DON'T RUSH. You will get there eventually.

Good luck!


-Mark