Averyc, my biggest piece of advice is to find a group or club, or any other extracurricular that you feel comfortable being yourself in. I struggled immensely with not losing myself in all the doolie year pressures, but I joined the choir and that helped me greatly. I developed strong friendships that make the bad times more bearable. However busy you are, always take a moment to collect yourself and appreciate the little things you have. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much! At first I was hesitant about joining anything because of the large work load, but after reading this I definitely will.
From what my DD, and DH have said and what 2018 parents have witnessed -- the best way to survive that first year is to get involved in something. A club, a sport, community service, etc. You NEED that downtime. You NEED to get out of your room. If you find yourself spending every weekend and free moment in your room, you are just setting yourself up for depression and failure. If nothing else, when you're allowed, go to Arnold Hall. Just get out of your room!