To the incoming first year students

My college started its week-long orientation program for the incoming first years on 24th August. Given the COVID situation, this orientation program has been nothing short of experimenting with the available online mediums. With Instagram and Facebook flooded with snippets of the activities being organized for the freshmen and seeing my own peers work so hard to make them feel welcome, made me nostalgic about the time I was a freshman myself. I am dedicating this blog post to the incoming batch of first-years who have not only finished schooling in such absurd circumstances but will also be experiencing their very college 'firsts' via the internet. 

To the incoming batch,

I would like to firstly congratulate you on starting your next phase of life. The transition from school to college is not easy, especially when you have to do it sitting on a chair behind a screen for at least 3 - 4 hours every day. It wasn't easy for our batch as well to be getting our degrees via email and graduating in our rooms in our pyjamas. Though the urge to be in your pyjamas is surprisingly not questioned by anyone by the time you enter the last year of your college life.

Ah! I remember my journey and state of mind from the time I applied and got selected and eventually came to campus. It was daunting yet exciting at the same time. There was so much energy and enthusiasm to get started with college. This energy, as you will come to realize soon, is in every aspect temporary and weans off sooner or later. Our orientation week was all about meeting new people and forgetting about them the next second, trying out new activities and of course adjusting to a campus that we would call our home for the next 3 - 4 years. Above all, it served as a trailer to the many life lessons one would learn and take with them when they step out in the real world. To quote Monica Geller here, "Welcome to the real world. It sucks. You're gonna love it." I don't think I have anything profound to contribute because I am still discovering myself but here I am, trying to share what I think all juniors should know. 

I would begin by saying something controversial and that is - allow yourself to be broken by people who were supposed to be the most important in your life. I am not only going to refer to romantic relationships here. But don't allow this to become a passive defence mechanism either. While some friendships and relationships last beyond your college years, some don't and that is a fact of the matter. Someone told me during my orientation week, that friends you make during the O-week don't last for the whole semester and friends made during the first semester don't last the whole year. But if they do last, then you know who is worth sticking around and who's not. Heartbreak is one of the most important life-altering things that can happen to you. You learn how to grow and evolve into a beautiful strong human being. You come to value and cherish certain friendships over others and learn how to deal with toxicity in your life. There is some element of our lives that will always be toxic to a certain extent but recognizing that element is a step towards taking care of your mental health. 

Secondly, don't hesitate to ask for help. Your college is going to be your home and its people your family. At first, you'll be nervous and awkward and that is completely fine. But in time you will learn to trust people because not all of them are bad. As you enter college, you will realize you have a huge network of support system already put in place to help you navigate your new life. Whether it is your resident assistants, teaching assistants, professors, classmates, floor mates or your seniors, just remember we are here for you. We know what it is like and were in your shoes not too long ago ourselves. You ought to approach at least someone. For the most part, people in college are usually very different in a positive way than what they are like in school.

Thirdly, try new things. Be a little mischievous. An important point to remember while trying out new stuff is that you are doing it for yourself. Don't do it for peer pressure. I don't know how much the pandemic will allow you to be adventurous but we can only hope that we will all be back on campus soon. If and when you get a chance, roam around the campus at 3 am to get a cup of hot steaming chai from the dhabha. Sneak into the terraces and faculty lounge in the academic blocks at night. Catch the sunrise with your pals after having pulled an all-nighter of drinking, laughing and crying. Catch the first shuttle out of campus and the last shuttle to the campus from Jahangirpuri Metro station. Make some wild excuses for missing classes or asking for an extension on submissions. Most of all, make memories for life. I know it is a little cheesy to say this but these years of your life will not return. You have creativity. You have ideas. You have potential. Use it not just in your academics because academics is not the end-all of your college. Take it from me, who still hasn't quite gotten her head around this concept. 

Finally, understand that learning is a continuous process. Attending classes and all is fine but you learn equally important things outside the classroom. Engage with your peers and understand where you might not be right. Learn to unlearn your pre-existing notions about society. Have an open mind and be respectful to other's voices and spaces. Be mindful of your privilege and don't undermine someone else because they have probably not had the same amount of silver linings in their life. The college is a space that evolves with its students. Till now, it was our space. And now, we as seniors pass it on to you, to make it your own, to call it home. Don't ever let the authorities tell you that this space isn't meant for you. Fight for it if you have to and claim it back. You are in for an exciting journey where you will face all kinds of obstacles. Eventually, however, when you look back to a particular month or a semester or a year, it will all be worth it. Best of luck.