Expectations vs. Reality: Why the transition to college isn’t easy

I’m a freshman. I came to USC with my head held up high, ready for that once-in-a-life-time college experience; I was going to meet tons of new people and develop my passions. Then halfway through the semester, my enthusiasm hit a brick wall and college became a nightmare. There were a lot of reasons why I felt depressed: an injury, roommate problems, being away from my family and not having a best friend or confidante to talk to about my problems. USC so often emphasizes making connections with others in the Trojan Family — most freshman have a whirlwind of acquaintances — but the most important relationships in a challenging, unfamiliar environment are close friends which are harder to come by.

When I read UCLA’s annual report on college freshman that was recently released, I couldn’t help but relate its findings to my own experience. It reported that emotional well-being was its lowest in 50 years. More than 9.5 percent of this year’s incoming freshmen feel frequently depressed and, though that number doesn’t sound high, out of USC’s freshman population of 3,098, that percent would amount to approximately 294 students.

A more realistic picture of my freshman year would have helped me. Most people talk about how it’s the most carefree year, partying and drinking, but from the majority of people I’ve met, that’s not true at all. My suitemates were hit hard by the increased college workload because they didn’t realize how much they needed to study. For them, second semester was a much easier transition. I’ve had juniors and seniors reassure me over the fact that they’d had less-than-perfect freshman years and didn’t find a group of friends until later years.

The best way USC can help support its freshman students is to provide them with more opportunities to speak to and interact with upperclassmen: many of them had the same concerns when they were freshman, whether its about uncertainties surrounding your choice of major or more personal issues. They reassured me that the situation won’t stay bad forever. One month into my second semester at USC, I have to agree with them. It really does get better.