MARIAM NDAO | GROWING UP GILROY
College Is Closer Than You Think: Advice From Someone Who ' s Been There
By Mariam Ndao
The summer before college feels exciting until it suddenly feels terrifying...
One minute you ' re celebrating graduation, and the next you ' re wondering if you ' re actually ready. Will you make friends? Will your classes be too difficult? What if you chose the wrong school? Whether you ' re staying local or moving hours away, those questions are completely normal. I know because I asked every one of them myself.
When I left home for college, I thought I had prepared for everything. I had my dorm supplies packed, my class schedule as my phone lockscreen, and my student ID ready to go. What I wasn ' t prepared for was how much life would change outside the classroom. College isn ' t just about earning a degree. It ' s about learning how to navigate independence, responsibility, and uncertainty.
One of the biggest lessons I learned is that no one has everything figured out. During the first few weeks, it can seem like everyone else has already found their friend group or knows exactly what they ' re doing. The truth is that most students are feeling just as nervous as you are. Don ' t be afraid to introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you in class or attend a campus event by yourself. Those small moments often become the friendships you ' ll remember long after graduation.
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