Tips for a New Life that Begins . . . NOW!

Guila Iacovelli, NSHSS Student Council
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Hello high school graduates and future graduates!

My name is Giulia Iacovelli, and this year I have been a freshman at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy, majoring in Political Science and International Relations.

Now that you are done with high school, you do not have to panic! The college experience is one of the most important changes in a person’s life, and it deserves to be lived with enthusiasm and passion. You are going to try a huge number of new things. A fantastic world of new opportunities is waiting for you!

I would just like to give you some suggestions for these incredible months that you will remember forever.

1. This summer, do something you have never done before.

It does not really matter what you are going to do: plan a trip on your own or with friends to celebrate your high school graduation, take a part-time job or go and climb a mountain. This will help you a lot, because college will be full of new challenges.

2. Do not be anxious about moving day.

It is a very important moment of your life, and it is normal to be scared by that, but you have to be positive. Moving day is not like all the other days of your college experience. You are probably going to need some time to get into it. Nevertheless after the first week, it will seem to you that you have always lived on campus: you will have made a lot of new friends and all those corridors, doors and rooms will have become familiar.

3. Do not be afraid of feeling homesick.

It is natural when you move far away from home to miss the people, the streets or simply the habits you had. Keeping in touch with old friends helps a lot. They are probably going to be starting a college experience just like you, so you may share your opinions and find new ways to let your relationship grow even now that you are distant.

4. Try to see the best side of everything you do.

There is at least a positive aspect in every single new experience you are going to live. You just have to keep your eyes open and enjoy it!

I hope you find these suggestions useful. In the end, I really believe that the best advice I can give you is not to be afraid of changing. Your personality is really going to evolve a lot. Nevertheless this is also the best wish I have for you: change every day and you will become closer each day to the person you want to be. After all, college is where you begin to realize your dreams.