NSOP has ended, the school year has begun, and here’s what we want you to know.

  • Every emotion you are feeling is valid. You are going to be so fine and so good at college. I know you likely don’t believe us when we say that, but it’s true.
  • Thank you for texting us and coming to our Zoom calls! We love students reaching out. Please keep in touch even though NSOP is over! Keep asking us questions, or just text us to say hi. We want to hear from you.
  • Literally every single first year we’ve met is so cool! We want to be friends with you!
  • Your class schedule is going to look so different at the end of this week than it did at the beginning, but it’ll work out by the end.
  • You do belong here. Impostor syndrome is a real thing but you deserve to be here without a doubt.
  • I know this isn’t what you expected your first semester of college to be like. With luck, it won’t be like this for long.
  • This is probably going to be one of the most difficult points of your undergraduate career, but there are so many support systems behind you! Use them!
  • Take care of yourself. This sometimes looks like preventative care: go to PCHS or Well Woman or Furman, even if you don’t feel absolutely terrible. Tuneups are healthy, especially when you’re going through as big of a change as this one.
  • College can be hard, so if you find yourself struggling in class, please take advantage of your resources! Go to your department’s help room, or get a free tutor. If you go to Barnard, check out the Writing Center! It’s okay to ask for help, especially when adjusting to new classes.
  • Look into a few clubs you might be interested in joining! While they might not be the same, clubs are one of the best ways to make friends and meet new people. On that note, it’s completely okay if you’re not the captain or president of every extracurricular you join this year, and it’s okay if you’re not in 20 different clubs.
  • Now is the time to create online connections! Make group chats for your classes, join Facebook groups, and find people on social media. It can be intimidating, but reaching out to people is more important than ever and chances are they want to make new friends too.
  • Don’t compare yourself to other students. Everyone works in their own way, and you’re doing so well. Semi-related to that point: some people might really act like they have their shit together. They probably don’t; we’re all learning as we go. Move at your own pace, and do what you feel comfortable with.

Futter Field via Bwarchives