4 Years to Life: Fearing the Unknown

Preparing for a year of firsts and lasts. She’s taller and looks older but my baby sister, Maddie, is going to be a freshman in college while I’m a senior in college.

This year has been full of nostalgia. Maddie has been dress shopping for her last prom, she’s applied and been accepted to Eau Claire, and she already has her graduation party date picked out. But it wasn’t until she asked me to take her college supply shopping that it fully hit me.

We’re both pulling on our big girl pants next year, for her next four years of college and for the start to the rest of my life. The pressure is real folks.

We’re both genuinely excited for this next chapter in our lives. However, we both also have concerns that bubble up from time to time. It’s so strange that our fears align at such different periods of our lives.

 

Maddie’s Fears for Freshman Year

• Picking a major

It feels like your major is going to determine the rest of your life. To an extent, yes, that’s partially true. But once my sister starts learning about whatever she picks as her major, I think she will realize it’s not as narrow as she might think.

• Making friends

Moving away from the people you see every day is uncomfortable. I think everyone worries about finding their group of people they fit in with. But everyone is in the same boat as you and also looking for people to spend their time with!

• The roommate situation

Whoever out there gets my sister as a roommate, let me tell you, you hit the jackpot! She is hilarious, kind, organized, likes to have fun, and just an overall amazing human being. There is a lot of pressure that goes into picking the perfect the roommate. No matter what, you’ll both have to learn how to live with another person and compromise. Even if your roommate isn’t your best friend, if you respect one another you’ll be fine.

• Making the most of it

Maddie said, “How I plan to make the most of my college experience is to push myself to try new things & meet new people, to grow into myself & to learn all that I possibly can about life”

 

My Fears for Life After College

• Applying for jobs

Does anyone feel prepared for this? I’ve had internships and picked part-time jobs within my field of study to amp up my resume, but I’m still nervous about finding a job after graduation. Not just any job, the right job for me – I haven’t learned what company culture I want, or even the perfect position for me. I know I will get there but the learning curve is steep on this one.

• Making friends

How does one make friends as an adult? I’m sure I’ll run into people starting their adulting journey too, but this is still a fear of mine. Despite the worry, I’ve learned that many things work out just fine in the end.

• The roommate situation

I was assigned a random roommate my freshman year at WSU and it could not have gone better. We just signed a lease to live together for our fourth year of college, and she is like family to my sister and I. Parting ways with my roommate is going to be a challenge and while living on my own will obviously have its perks, it won’t be easy.

• Making the most of it

I have one year left at WSU and I want to make sure I don’t waste a second of it. I want to participate in as many things on campus as I can. I’m sure both Maddie and I will be running around next year like chickens with our heads cut off with so many things to do, relationships to build and enjoying all of the firsts and lasts of the college experience.

I’m so grateful to have a loving, supportive, best friend of a sister who is only a call or FaceTime away when I need to laugh off something stupid I’m obsessing over. As we filled her cart with all the college necessities I had filled my cart with four years ago (minus a mini fridge and microwave, she’ll get mine that still work great), I couldn’t help but feel almost all the same emotions that she is feeling.

Four important years for her, life for me. What comes next has a lot of pressure on it for us both, but we know that good things are in store.