You Are Not Alone – Hidden Curriculum

The adjustment to college life can be both thrilling and unsettling. You are not alone in these feelings. Below, Duke students share their reflections on their transition to university life. We asked students to share these reflections anonymously to encourage them to be honest and candid.

"Pretty scary! I called home every night and assumed I wouldn’t make any friends (I even told my roommate not to worry about me bringing people over). But I quickly fell into a rhythm with my classes and my meals, and that routine really helped."

"My first month of college was incredibly hectic and overwhelming. I felt like I was constantly trying to keep up with everything happening around me and never had a moment to myself. I was determined to strike a balance between academics/social life/self-care right off the bat, but I didn't realize just how difficult that would be...However, it was also incredibly exciting to meet so many people, because it was fun to get to connect with lots of new faces and watch close friendships form. "

"Although I requested one, I didn't get a roommate until October, so I was definitely lonely for the first month or so and was grateful when she arrived. We didn't become close very quickly, but through the nature of a roommate relationship, we had more and more conversations...Something that really helped me become close to my roommate was asking her about her day every night and telling her about mine."

"Nothing really felt familiar to me. I felt like the campus looked completely different compared to what I had seen as a visiting student. I got lost often and misplaced my keys and phone basically everyday (which didn’t help at all)."

Activities

The People Who Helped Shape Me

College can be pretty overwhelming as you meet new people, interact with professors, and form friendships. During this time, it is important to remember the people who have helped you become you.  

Throughout your life people have influenced you and had an impact on who you are as a person. They are your family, friends, teachers, coaches, spiritual figures, coaches, teachers, parents, spiritual figures, friends, and others who have helped you become you. Click the button below to complete this activity.

Homesickness Checklist

Homesickness (noun): longing for home and family while absent from them.

It’s normal to crave the past when we experience newness. Luckily, there are multiple ways to bring comforting familiarity into new environments. What experiences from your past will you bring with you into your future? Click the button below to complete the activity.