Freedom, loneliness, bad dining hall food and the best friends you’ve ever made, sometimes all in the same week. With May 1, National Decision Day, just around the corner, many seniors are about to commit to where they’ll spend the next four years. For those still weighing that choice, or just nervous about what comes next, three alumni shared what the transition felt like. 

Micah Lotsoff, a freshman at Indiana University, a Business Economics and Public Policy major and a member of the Class of 2025, describes the mixed emotions he felt when first going to college, ranging from feeling free to trapped.

“You get to do what you want, but you also have to [compete with everyone else]. So it’s easy to feel like you’re behind. It’s easy to feel like you’re not involved enough, or not doing enough, but those are common feelings,” Lotsoff said. 

Lotsoff describes how jarring the change of pace between the end of high school and the beginning of college was. 

The new college environment was also quite surprising for Lotsoff, with a welcoming week and time for incoming freshmen to adapt. 

“The first few days of college were absolutely insane. It was a fun way to meet people, for sure, and an interesting way to start my future living away from home. I hadn’t gotten sick of the dining hall food yet, I was meeting people all the time, and trying to get involved in a variety of clubs and extracurriculars. It [was] pretty hectic,” Lotsoff said. 

Similarly, alumnus Stuart Whitmer, a senior at Truman University majoring in Exercise Science, emphasizes the shift in perspective that comes with going to college, describing the willingness one needs to navigate a new environment. 

“It’s a time to step into being an adult. You don’t have to figure it out. You don’t have to have everything locked in and known, but it’s a time to explore, [a] time to fail, but also [a time to] be surrounded by people that are going to pick you back up. You’re going to have [a] good community where you go. You just have to go find it. Do not be afraid of going to college. It’s exciting, if that’s the path for you,” Whitmer said. 

Unlike high school, Whitmer thinks college is much more independent and less structured. 

“In high school, you’re doing a lot of homework and assignments, which is what you need, because you need to [know] what to do. In college, you [need] to study. You have to go to class and then study your notes that you took because there isn’t that much homework, and the professors aren’t holding your hand as much,” Whitmer said. “[Though] they still [help] a bit in your first year, by the time you’re a senior, you [need] to understand what studying is. [It’s] way more independent learning, which is great, because you could really excel in the things you want to do.” 

When Whitmer got to college, he wanted to continue participating in the activities he enjoyed in high school. Given the environment at his college, Whitmer thrived both academically and in extracurricular activities. 

“I did dance for a long time, but I don’t get to do that as much anymore, because I don’t have time for it. [Thankfully], I [was able] to continue to play soccer [and] try out for the men’s soccer team, and that was something I got to continue doing,” Whitmer said. “I was able to get the help that I needed and was around people who wanted me to do better. [It was] good to be in an environment that [not only pushed] me to do the best that I can [academically], but also [had time for] extracurriculars.”

Alumna Ella Welch, a freshman at the University of California, Santa Cruz and a member of their swim team, credits her college success to the preparation that high school gave her.

“I thought that I would have a harder time establishing myself here and getting a good handle on balancing sports and academics, [but] I think high school did a really good job [of helping] with that. The biggest thing for sure is time management, and classes are not as difficult as I thought they would be,” Welch said. “I think that high school did a good job preparing me for getting my work done and establishing a good relationship with my professors. The transition has not been as difficult as I thought.” 

Though Welch initially felt anxiety, she felt well prepared for college and was able to settle in quickly. 

“I was nervous for the first week, but I’m glad that I was on a sports team, because I had [a] group of people that I knew that I could get to know really well. I had a support system really quickly, which made things really nice, so I didn’t feel nervous. And I started to feel excited about all the opportunities I had in a new environment, because I’m from St. Louis. Coming to California was a big change, but it was really neat. So I was just excited for the most part,” Welch said. 

With a team and a strong community, Welch adapted to the new environment. 

“People are more relaxed in college. Once you get past that high school admissions process, you feel like you have a goal you’re working towards, and everyone’s on their own journey,” Welch said. “But once you run into people [with whom] you bond, you establish a good group of friends. I think that’s similar to high school, but the main difference is [that] everyone is just focused on doing what they need to do [but] a lot more relaxed about it too.”