Recently, I began working on a zine to dish out advice for incoming freshmen, and I noticed a pattern. Everyone had wonderful advice for freshmen, but everyone, including myself, began with the phrase “Freshman year was rough.”

It is true that all first years are tough, but I think what’s out of the ordinary is the fact that we failed to address it. One of the biggest reasons my freshman year felt especially overwhelming was because it seemed like all the other freshmen had it together, when in reality, no one really did. 

Comfort comes in finding people who experience things similarly to you. I believe that as a student body, we should be comfortable with expressing our vulnerability. 

I was recently talking to one of my friends who began her first year in high school. She admitted her discomfort with freshman year, and one of the biggest causes of this discomfort was that she felt everyone else was put together. I could thoroughly relate to this feeling. 

The best I could do was comfort her — admitting that I went through the same thing — and hope she would believe me.

Some individuals will walk into high school with a fully formed friend group or have older siblings helping them navigate the educational road bumps. 

But for the majority, this isn’t true. My focus isn’t evening out this unfair playing field, but instead addressing the unfamiliarity to bring forth even a little bit of comfort. 

Advanced Placement, unfortunately, does not make things any easier. AP classes are an inevitability that many students will have to face in their high school career. For freshmen in particular, many enter ninth grade eager to challenge themselves with multiple AP classes. 

As is the case for many, my freshman year was a time of great growth and difficulty. I remember not knowing many people, and struggling to find my place.

But the hurdles posed by the rigor of the classes helped me develop time management skills, which would later help me succeed as an upperclassman. Handling those challenges prepared me for those to come.

The point is this: as difficult as it may feel to navigate all the troubles that come with freshman year, it can still be one of the most formative, enjoyable periods of anybody’s youth.

Extracurricular activities, for instance, really helped bring some balance to the challenges of freshman year. 

I’ve been dancing for ten years, and being able to go to classes every week was a great way to alleviate some stress. Dance class felt like a place I could truly express myself and forget about any anxieties weighing me down.

I’ve often wondered what I would do if I could go back in time and talk to my freshman self. Even now, I don’t have it all figured out, but I think I would tell her something along the lines of, “It’s going to be okay. Everyone is just as new to this as you are.”

It’s terrifying being in a new school, and the importance of addressing our discomfort can help peers flourish in ways that we don’t realize. 

By being honest and open, we can struggle together and ultimately grow together. So make the difference, be brave and tell your friend that you’re struggling — that’s how we can all help each other become our best selves.