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Managing Pre-Freshman Jitters

Managing Pre-Freshman Jitters
7/25/2011
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Julius Clayborn

Lately, I’ve been searching far and wide for Neverland – a place where I don’t have to grow older, a place where I can evade responsibility, a place where I can avoid the looming anxiety of college, a place in which to find solace from the fear of independence.

Having never been away from home for such an extended period of time, there are a few qualms I have with starting college, a pivotal chapter in my life. The first one is, well, being away! There will be tons of new people in a totally new setting. Will I be able to manage? Luckily, I’ve had the opportunity to talk to many people about this issue and they assure me that it’s not as horrid as it may seem. The feelings between me and the rest of the incoming freshmen will be completely mutual. That’s actually the beauty of the situation: Everyone’s just as afraid as you are, therefore just as vulnerable. This vulnerability will, in fact, make meeting people a much easier process because everyone will be wide-eyed, open-minded and ready to build relationships.

Another thing that concerns me is the workload. The sheer thought of being bombarded with 20-page papers and getting no sleep gives me nightmares! Though, the advice I’ve been given in regards to this problem assures me that I am being much too dramatic. My uncle eased this fear by telling me that though multiple page papers are an inevitable part of being a college student, unreasonable demands will not be put upon college freshmen right away as they're still trying to maneuver their way through a college campus.

After discussing my college concerns with a few different people, I’m glad that much of my anxiety is starting to dissipate. I think I’ll put that trip to Neverland on hold and fly to my college campus instead. The growth I experience there won’t be something I have to fear and in the end, I’ll be happy that I made the decision to grow up.

Julius Claybron was born on Chicago’s South Side in the Harold Ickes public housing projects. At the age of five, he lost his father to diabetes and was raised by his mother and grandmother, who helped him to enroll in Urban Prep Academy, a public all-male college-preparatory high school, during his sophomore year. Julius started to read at the age of two and still enjoys escaping in books during his spare time. He will begin his freshman year at Cornell University this fall, where he plans to double major in psychology and English literature.

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