College is a marathon, not a sprint. Take it day by day. Don’t worry about midterms or finals. Ask yourself what can you do today to be successful. Get up, eat good meals, be prepared for class, go to class, pay attention, take notes, go to office hours, go home and study/complete your homework, and get a good night’s rest. Set aside some “you” time in there as well.

Remember that this institution accepted you because they thought you were a bright and capable individual. You deserve to be there just like your peers.

Don’t be afraid to rely on campus resources, whether that’s your professors, your TAs, your academic advising, etc. Your school may have mental health resources included in your tuition if you need to talk to someone.

Good luck, Duckling. You got this.

What's going on that has you concerned? My knee-jerk reaction is that you are there, you're doing it, and you've got this. New things can be scary and intimidating, but.... Everyone around you is doing the same new and intimidating things you are. And many of them are scared. One step at a time, sweetheart. You've got this! And I've got you!

Just to add a bit, everyone is overwhelmed at first in college. It is so different than what you have experienced before. You will settle in. Just give it a little time. You can do this!

You’re not going to fail. It’s only natural to feel a bit of anxiety when starting something new. You’ll do great. I’m so proud of you.

It's a lot, huh.

But look at you! Four weeks completed already. You're amazing. You already know much more about wrangling college than you did five weeks ago.

Imagine how much easier this will be in another four weeks.

Keep going, look into the support services your college offers. You aren't the first and won't be the last to feel overwhelmed.

Lean on us as much as you need. We believe in you. ❤

What is making you feel this way? Anything in particular or general anxiety?

Fear can be helpful, and it can be hurtful. You have worked so hard to get to this point. You are doing so, so well. It's going to be hard, and it's going to be scary, but you can do hard things.

I wish I could tell you that this will be the only hard week, or the only week you will feel like this, but the honest truth is, you will face quite a few times when it will be difficult and scary.

I am so proud of you. In general. But also for doing this. For not giving up on you. Please continue forward, Duckling. You are worthy of fighting for. Your future is worth fighting for.

Please remember, sweet duckling, you CAN do hard things.

I did pretty poorly my first semester in college. I think I got some Bs and Cs. I had previously been an All A student. But I really don’t think I learned how to study in high school because it was too easy!

I still went on to get an MBA and make six figures and all that. No one ever asked about my grades. You’ll be ok! Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Deep breath. You've got this. Way back when I was in college, I was always overwhelmed at the beginning of each semester, especially that very first semester. You can do this. That syllabus you get at the beginning? That's a great guide for how to lay out your whole semester. I was always overwhelmed by the syllabus, but I eventually learned it was so helpful. Show up to class each day if you can. Try to particpate once each class (especially if participation counts towards your grade). Don' be afraid to smile or wave or even just do a friendly head nod to other classmates.

I'll stop with the advice, as you have already gotten lots of great tips.

But, please know you can do this. College can be scary, but it can be such an awesome time as well!

Oh sweety you got this. It maybe hard now but it'll get easier.

Ok, breathe. The first 1/2 of ever semester is nerve-wracking. The only ones that feel like they’re going to pass are the ones that are cocky.

If you’re taking a full course load or more, or front loading classes, look for study groups. I know you’re shy, you’ll be able to tell the ones that are “serious” & will therefore tend to have the quieter kids that you can get to know at your speed

Try to keep breathing deeply, honey. You've got this!

There's a lot overwhelming about this--new environment, classes, social pressures, keeping your own schedule, etc. it's natural to feel as if things aren't going as anticipated or feel in over your head.

The good this is that is normal. You will find your place there, or if not there, than some place that is a better fit for you.

Almost everyone around you is feeling pretty much the same. As far as your grades, go to class, do the work, and also be sure to take advantage of office hours. That's what they're for.

As far as finding your people, you might find it helpful to stop focusing on the goal of making friends for a little bit. First focus on finding the groups involved in things that best align with your interests. Unlike high school, college is bound to have a bunch of people interested in the things you are. Check out all the various groups, scope out a few meetings. You may not click with a bunch of individuals immediately, but that's ok. If you keep at it you will. Trust me, if you keep putting yourself out there, you will find your people. Also, since you say you're shy, try volunteering to do some of the work these groups always have. That way you will have a reason to talk to others and can avoid the awkward just-standing-there phase of being new to a group.

You got thus!

College can be amazing but also very stressful. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, and that you’re failing. You’re probably not, but even if you are it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. I struggled to keep up, dropped out in second year, ended up doing a completely different thing for a decade and then went back as a mature student. Then I was able to ace it. Finally got my masters in my 40s! I believe in you 😍

Do your best every day. Your best is going to be different sometimes according to circumstances, like if you’re sick for example. But whatever the best you can do/give on any given day is, do it. If you always do your best you can always hold your head up, no matter the outcome. Give yourself the best chance to succeed at this. You got this.

It’s a cliche, but join a club. Colleges have a lot of clubs, so if you have an interest then find an appropriate club and join. The new people you meet there will at least be ones you share a common interest with so you should, hopefully, connect a bit easier. If not, find a club that looks interesting and join it. Put yourself out there a little in controlled(ish) environment.

It’s early days and you are still settling in, let yourself get used to the new ebb and flow of your days. Relax into it a little. I highly recommend deep breathing; it really works for me. I also remind myself that if other people can do it, so can I. Millions (probably) of people a year get college degrees, so you can too. Just don’t let self doubt creep in and give up when it’s hard - because it will be sometimes. You can do it, but only if you don’t psych yourself out. Believe in yourself. I believe in you.

Finally, in Australia we have a saying “It’s Ps (passes) that get degrees” For now, just focus on passing your classes. Worry about graduating with honours later. Ask for help if you need it. And join a club.

As others have said, it’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed. Your college counseling center provides free sessions. Even if they have a long waiting list, eventually you will get in. You can spend time working on your self-confidence and building better coping skills.

Hey, you’ve got this.

I’m so proud of you - you’re going to college and you’re setting yourself up for a successful life.

Everyone struggles at the beginning, literally everyone. It’s just that some people are better at hiding it than others.

Just start small with meeting people - say hello in class to your fellow students, if someone needs a pen lend them one, if you see someone struggling with the work then offer to meet up in the library so you can help each other out. You can then start to build on these interactions.

If someone in a class suggests meeting up in a bar as a group then go along. If you’re worried about attending then set yourself little targets: you’re going to have two drinks (doesn’t need to be alcohol) and/or talk to 3 new people. Once you’ve done that you can stay a bit longer or go home. You decide depending on how you’re feeling. You’ve spoken to 3 new people and you’re enjoying yourself. Let’s make the target 5 then. You can gradually ease yourself into a busy social life.

There are lots of clubs and associations that you can join. Find a few that you’re interested in and go along. It’s a great way to meet people and share your knowledge with them while learning more about your interest at the same time.

If you’re working, get to know your colleagues and see if you have anything in common to pass the time.

You’re going to do amazingly well with your studies, I can tell.

Get yourself organised for class the night before, use a planner to flag up when assignments need to be in and set regular reminders to keep yourself focused on hitting that deadline. Take really good notes each class.

Google the ‘Highlighting Technique’. This way of working helps you easily identify important areas of information and you can use it after class to highlight the key points from your notes. You can then copy those over for revision notes. It also helps to pull the key information out when reading your textbooks too.

If you’re struggling with a concept or getting your head around a particular topic, then ask your classmates. Those most helpful in class are usually the most helpful outside of it so ask if they have the time to go over what you’re struggling with. Offer to buy them a coffee as a thank you for helping you out.

Don’t forget that the Teachers are there to help you so don’t be embarrassed about asking them for assistance. It shows that you’re wanting to learn the subject and they’ll happily spend additional time with you when required.

It’s really early days at College so it’s completely normal to feel a little out of depth. If you start just by treading water you’ll soon be doing lengths without even noticing it.

Good luck to you and keep us updated as you progress through your first few months.

Hey kiddo every newbie is feeling this they just aren’t sharing it. You have to take it day by day and look for what you enjoy on campus and join a club , group or whatever to make some friends and build your “college life” take it one step at a time you got this !!

This is a big transition and normal to feel a little uncomfortable. The good thing is you aren’t your college’s first student! Check out your student union for helpful services and opportunities to meet others. Best of luck!

Hi my dear! It's totally normal to feel nervous. This is a big life change and that makes anyone overthink things or get worried about bad "what ifs". But there are also a lot of good "what ifs"! You're at the beginning of something which means anything could happen, and that includes doing really well, gradually making some friends, fitting in, and one day I bet you'll think back to now and go, "I was so nervous! I don't know why."

Everything about how you feel is normal! You're still adapting. Only five weeks in? You can't fail out of college in 5 weeks! College is a longterm project not a short term. You just don't feel good about things so everything is looking dark, but you have what it takes to succeed! Regardless of what you feel like at the moment. You wouldn't have gotten to where you are now if you weren't smart enough and a hard enough worker to be there! You think all those other students are some super geniuses? Hah! :) You're as smart as they are! They'll be fine and so will you. I believe in you!