<p>All right, so I am going to college really far away, in a big city. I come from a very sheltered, wealthy suburb. The college I am going to, has a decent academic reputation, ranked top 100 schools in the country. But lately I am freaking out about everything. I am nervous about having a roommate, and if I can get along with my roommmate. I am nervous about making friends, for example, I am afraid that I might become associated with the "werid" kids or the wrong group, and I wouldn't even know it, and if that does happen, then the rest of my classmates will automatically assume I am "werid" because I associate with the werid kids. I am nervous about going to school 20 hours(by car) away from home. I am nervous about my clothes, because I don't know how the kids at my school dress, and I don't want to be judge based on my clothes, they might see my clothes and automatically assume I a certain type of kid, prep/gangster-wanna-be/nerd. For example, I spent an entire 3 hours wondering what people's first impression will be from my clothes. I am nervous about not knowing anyone the first couple of weeks, and having to eat alone in my college's cafeteria, I am afraid that if I start off college eating by myself, then I will spend the next 4 years eating by myself. I am nervous about communal bathrooms, because I have never shared a bathroom with anyone. I am nervous about making bad first impressions on my classmates. The school I am going to, is very large, around 40k undergrads, and I don't know a single person at the school, which doesn't help.</p>
<p>First off, calm down. It will work out for you.
Second, don’t worry about what other people think. As cliche as it is, be yourself, and the rest will fall in place. Wear what you want to, make friends with people who you want to, and you will be fine. You will be able to find friends with at least a couple out of 40,000 :)</p>
<p>As far as driving, if you are driving yourself, drive majority of the way the first day, get a hotel, and drive the rest the next day. You don’t want to split it up even because when you get there you will have unpacking and all that jazz. Leave early in the moring after a good breakfast and a decent dose of caffiene.</p>
<p>^ My parents are driving me there, and helping me move in.</p>
<p>I am nervous about having a roommate, and if I can get along with my roommmate. </p>
<p>= Why? They’re a person too, just as nervous as you. You should realize that almost everyone going into their first year has never roomed with another person for a long period of time before. The only thing you can do is realize the situation for what it is - a challenge - and treat them as you would like to be treated. Be kind, respect their space/decisions/lifestyle, and they will more than likely accept you and do the same for you.</p>
<p>I am nervous about making friends, for example, I am afraid that I might become associated with the “werid” kids or the wrong group, and I wouldn’t even know it, and if that does happen, then the rest of my classmates will automatically assume I am “werid” because I associate with the werid kids.</p>
<p>= Don’t be, now’s the time to relax and just let it happen. Be outgoing, and the first person you catch will introduce you to others and they’ll introduce you to others and the cycle will go on and on till you reach a point where you can think critically about who you want to meet/interact with. In college, there really aren’t “weird” kids or “the wrong group”. Sure, there are going to be “dangerous” groups of people by common standards, however they’re not necessarily “wrong” people. You should immediately forget the concept of “classmates” as you know it. Your “classmates” will be a random mix of people from all over campus and the surrounding city, who neither care nor have any ability to find out who your friends are. While the classroom is a place of social interaction, in college it is almost entirely for learning, the social interaction will predominantly take place outside of the classroom. </p>
<p>I am nervous about my clothes, because I don’t know how the kids at my school dress, and I don’t want to be judge based on my clothes(they might see my clothes and automatically assume I a certain type of kid, prep/gangster-wanna-be/nerd).</p>
<p>=Regardless how you dress people are going to make assumptions about you, however good news is that in college most people really stop caring about what other people wear/look like. You need to leave behind the “popularity” modal of high school. </p>
<p>I am nervous about not knowing anyone the first couple of weeks, and having to eat alone in my college’s cafeteria, I am afraid that if I start off college eating by myself, then I will spend the next 4 years eating by myself.</p>
<p>=Yah, the eating alone sucks. But it’s something you need to learn to be comfortable with, because after college you are going to have to learn how to simply eat for the sake of eating and not care whether you’re alone or not as you do it. You’ll find friends, and people will more than likely ask you to eat with them because they’re just as nervous to eat alone as you are. Ask your floormates out to dinner or something, they’ll really appreciate the offer.</p>
<p>I am nervous about communal bathrooms, because I have never shared a bathroom with anyone.</p>
<p>=They’re really not that big of a deal. They’re just a bathroom, you go in and get what you need done and get out. </p>
<p>I am nervous about making bad first impressions on my classmates.</p>
<p>=Who cares? The school has 30k kids, you make a bad first impression on a few people, you move onto others. </p>
<p>Don’t be nervous, just realize that this will probably the best four years of your life, four years where you’ll grow and learn who you are and what you want to be and do. Just let it happen.</p>
<p>^^ I know exactly how you feel. Except my school has closer to 4k people than 40k. I like JackM’s post though. It just makes sense. This is a fresh start now is just the time to be yourself, stop worrying and look forward to the next 4 years.</p>
<p>Everyone is just as nervous about everything as you are. If you can chill out, you already have the upper hand.</p>
<p>Here is a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don’t worry be happy
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don’t worry, be happy…</p>
<p>Ain’t got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don’t worry, be happy
The land lord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don’t worry, be happy
Lood at me I am happy
Don’t worry, be happy
Here I give you my phone number
When you worry call me
I make you happy
Don’t worry, be happy
Ain’t got no cash, ain’t got no style
Ain’t got not girl to make you smile
But don’t worry be happy
Cause when you worry
Your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don’t worry, be happy (now)…</p>
<p>There is this little song I wrote
I hope you learn it note for note
Like good little children
Don’t worry, be happy
Listen to what I say
In your life expect some trouble
But when you worry
You make it double
Don’t worry, be happy…
Don’t worry don’t do it, be happy
Put a smile on your face
Don’t bring everybody down like this
Don’t worry, it will soon past
Whatever it is
Don’t worry, be happy</p>
<p>You act like you are the only one to have insecurities. Think of this as an opportunity to reinvent yourself into a better and evolved “new you.” Be confident, be friendly, listen more than blabbing on about yourself. Say yes more than no when invited to do things. Don’t be judgmental, it’s all good. People can smell desperation and anxiety, relax and let things unfold. Stop stressing on things you can’t control. You’ll adapt to communal bathrooms, that is the least of your problems.</p>
<p>Just try to stop worrying about it. I was shocked when I read your school has 40K people. Do you really think people are going to associate anyone with “weird” kids? First off, it’s college…people - really - don’t care about appearances as much as personality when it comes to friends…a lot different than high school. Also, with 40K people, it’d be pretty hard to stand out as a “weird” kid. You’ll be fine 
Hakuna matata, my friend.</p>
<p>calm down! People can sense someone who is timid and nervous and almost nobody likes it. If people think that about you than I can assure you that you will be that “weird” kid. Take control of the impression people get from you, get cloths that you’re confident wearing. If some people don’t like you to hell with them, and move on. It’s that simple… really.</p>
<p>I promise, nobody is thinking that much about you for you to worry about being the weird kid.
Work on yourself and your self esteem, and everything else will fall into place.</p>
<p>It’s normal to be nervous, but it’ll be all right. 
Just be yourself–yes, it’s cliched, but good advice–and don’t be afraid to try new things, to be the first one to say “hi”, and to branch out. :)</p>
<p>If your school has so many people and you make a bad impression on one person, then there are 39,999 other people to make a good impression on. And unless you are wearing a potato sack to class, no one will even look twice at you. This is college! People show up to class in their pjs!
Look, there are always going to be people that think you are weird and judge you. The great thing about college is you are able to minimize the time spent with people who think you are weird, and maximize time spent with people who get you.</p>
<p>take a deep breath and calm down. your fears are totally normally. i would even go as far to say that if you weren’t worried/anxious, something is wrong with you.
everything is going through this. do you know anyone at ur new college? if you don’t i suggest joining the facebook group for the entering class and getting to know the people on facebook for now at least u can meet up when u get there, and it will comfort you knowing that you’re coming there knowing someone. chances are you and the people you meet from facebook will not go on to be good friends in college as you will meet more people you might associate with better, but you never know! i happen to know of a closenit group of friends who met on facebook prior to freshman year and are now living together come third year.</p>
<p>EVERYONE is just as nervous as you are. College is not nearly as clique-ish and judgmental as high school. You’ll find your place. :)</p>
<p>lol… nervous about school. those were the days. I miss them, actually.</p>
<p>College is not HighSchoool. Was your highschool filled with snooty kids, cliques, and the like? Sounds like it was and you are projecting your experiences from highschool to college. </p>
<p>College is not like HS with groups of jocks, mean girls, bullies trying to run the school. Its a place where everyone is new, where most that were jerks in HS have matured, and if they haven’t they won’t have any powere or influnence and can be easily ignored. Sure if you sit around picking your nose all day, you might get some lucks, but everyone is too busy and there are so many people that you don’t need to worry so much.</p>
<p>Remeber, be who you are, and any of that stuff you had to deal with in HS you won’t have to deal with in college. Just smile, chat, listen and enjoy</p>
<p>im only gonna be a sr in hs next year. but im actually excited for all the things your nervous about.</p>
<p>i’ve been too a couple camps where ive had random roomates and stuff and didn’t know people.</p>
<p>well, dress however you feel confident in.</p>
<p>be very respectful to your roomate. after meeting and talking on the first day, no matter what your impression is say somehting like im lucky i ended up as your roomate, i thought i would end up with some weird kid.</p>
<p>also get snacks the first day and buy something for your roomate and share with them. </p>
<p>lots of the friends you’ll meet will be through your roomate and their friends. hang out with them and try to be friends with your roomate.</p>
<p>i had many awkward moments while i was at camp meeting random people. i kept calling this one girl by another girls name and stuff like that hahaha. as long as your confident you’l be fine meeting people. lots of kids try to be funny to impress new people. yes, that’s important. but instead of trying to have them like you and trying to feel comforatble by being funny, try to have them like you by being respectful, be as nice as you can.</p>
<p>introduce yourself to everyone you see, shake hands with everyone and exchange numbers.</p>
<p>man im excited for college!! just be friendly, and respectful and you’ll be fine buddy. confidence is also the key.</p>
<p>in the beginning everyone is going to be worried about whateveryone thinks of them. and everyone is in the same boat, when in actuallity noone really judges anyone as much as people think. you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>at meals, if your not with anyone you know, just approach some people who look friendly and ask may i join you?? especially in the beginning of the year most kids will happily say yes. and if your with friends and see someones alone, invite them to sit with you. </p>
<p>good luck!! hope advice from a highschooler might help haha</p>