¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ

James Loy 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast by the hosts and guests may or may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ.

Student 

I'm a senior, I'm about to graduate, and I've done a lot of cool things in college.

Student 

I never thought that I was going to be an intramural curler. I never thought that I was going to be the ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ body president.

Student 

These four years have been the biggest amount of growth I've seen in my entire life.

Student 

It's not just about the academics, but like, what kind of person you turn into. Which is super cool.

Maggie 

It's been a weird morning.

Lauren Kelley 

You have everything set for summer. So you're good to go on that. Anxiety is still high, or are you...?

Lauren Kelley 

What? You haven't even signed up, Maggie!

Maggie 

I mean, I guess we'll talk about it in the episode. Like, it literally, like, Oh my god. It was the weirdest thing this morning, I was working in the Withrow Starbucks. It is my, it's my go to study spot. But, like, I was going through my email and they have something called the dart frog dash at the Toledo Zoo. It's like a 5k through the zoo, and it's happening on the day of graduation. And I got like, this sudden spike of anxiety, for no reason. I literally saw, like, this was me. I was at my laptop. [slams laptop shut] I was like, Oh, they had sent a notice about it. They were like, sign up now. And I, like, saw the date. And I was like, Oh my God, that's the day I graduate. Oh my god, I'm graduating from college. And I literally, like, had to slam my laptop shut. And I was like,...

Maggie 

Yeah, I can't even do it. That's the funny thing. Like, literally, I was sad because I couldn't do it. And then I was like, oh god, that's the day I graduate from college.

Lauren Kelley 

And then it hits.

Maggie 

So I just literally had take a second to be like ... [deep breaths]

Lauren Kelley 

Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry at Starbucks.

Maggie 

Not again! [Laughter]

Lauren Kelley 

Not again!

Maggie 

Okay, welcome back to major insight. We're here with another very special episode for you today. We're back in the studio with Lauren. Lauren, how are you doing?

Lauren Kelley 

Doing all right.

Maggie 

And where are we going today?

Lauren Kelley 

We're going to explore our deepest fears. Maggie.

Maggie 

Nervous? So leading into that, when you came to college for the very first time your freshman year, what were you most afraid of?

Lauren Kelley 

Making the most of it. I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to just explore every opportunity possible, as a lot of freshmen do, and easily got overwhelmed. But I think that was my mindset of just, I'm really afraid that I won't make the most of every opportunity and to explore every path, which probably was... that pressure wasn't the best.

Maggie 

Well, it also, I mean, within like, the second week of getting here, they throw mega fair at us. They're like, here's over 600 ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ on-campus organizations for you to join. But no, that's valid. Like, it's such a valid fear, especially, like, college is expensive for a lot of people. So there is also the pressure of, like, my tuition money is paying for it, so I might as well take advantage of it, you know?

Lauren Kelley 

Yeah, I'm really happy I actually did have that fear, though, because it pressured me, you know, like, even if I was setting a really high expectation for myself, at least it was a motivation for me to continue putting myself in uncomfortable situations, which sometimes people don't want to do. They want to stay comfortable. And so I think that fear motivated me to explore more and to be the person I am today.

Maggie 

Yeah, when you start a new phase of your life, it's very tempting to hold on to any sense of, like, normalcy or consistency, instead of just like, kind of, you know, like, out of the frying pan into the fire. You know, when you get to college, it's really scary to do that and like, fully put yourself in it, but I mean, you kind of have to ,at the end of the day, you don't really have A choice, which is terrifying.

Brian Zetzer 

My name is Brian Zetzer, and I'm a junior here at ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ, studying supply chain operation, management and information systems cybersecurity.

Maggie 

Awesome. All right, so before coming to college, or maybe shortly after you got here, what scared you the most about this new chapter of life?

Brian Zetzer 

Yeah, so I was definitely worried about finding that friend group. I know it's very common for a lot of people, and since my sister had gone here, she had friends. So I knew them. I'd gotten to know them over the summers and winters that they came back to visit. And also had a group of kids from my high school that are coming here, a group of kids I grew up with, and never really got along the best with them, like I knew them. So it was kind of nice having that familiarity, but I still want to find my identity of people. And it was very nice going through mega fair and getting into my classes and finding those new people, making that friend group. And then being a big organization person. It was nice having that group of being able to identify myself with this ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ org, or that ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ org that I was involved with, and being able to build that network of people out. And it was definitely nervous at first, because I've never been the best at making new friends, but having that safety net and relying on everyone around me was something that was really amazing.

Maggie 

Yeah, truly, I mean, it's, it's a really big stereotype, and it's a cliche, but truly, like, there is nothing better than college to get you out of your comfort zone and kind of force you to meet new people. So I feel like that's one of the most common fears about coming to college, is, am I gonna make friends? You know? Am I gonna have my own community here on campus? So I think, obviously, as you've said, I think maybe that fear wasn't so true for you. Maybe it wasn't super founded.

Michaela 

Okay, I am Michaela Buch. I am a double major in political science and journalism with a minor in social justice.

Maggie 

Before coming to college. What scared you most about it?

Michaela 

Finding people that I really clicked with. I feel like that took a minute for me in high school, like not until my junior year I really found people that I like, vibed with and kind of like aligned with. And so I had a hard time doing that in college, because, I thought it was going to take much longer, but actually ended up happening my freshman year. So that's awesome, but I would say that, like, I had this like, raging fear of being alone, or that I wouldn't find people who were like, similar to me, and that was disproven. So, yeah, that's a good thing.

Maggie 

No, I feel like I'm like, kind of the exact opposite of high school, like I was in the same classes, same people since basically, like kindergarten, like all the same people. I was... like, I did honors, AP, CCP, so like, I was in classes with like, all the same people all throughout high school. And then I came to college, and I was like, well, like, you're lucky if you have maybe one person you know in every new class you start taking, because it, like, just doesn't work that way in college, where you end up being in classes with the same people until you get to, like, your junior or senior year, and then it's like, oh, wait, you're also, like, a zoology major, and so you're also in this capstone class with me, of course. And you were in this lab with me my freshman year. Like, that's the craziest thing in the world, is, like, you don't start having classes with the same people until you're like, on your way out, and then you're like, Oh, wait. Like, that's my friend. Hold on.

Michaela 

Yeah, that's when it gets so fun, though, because you're like, Oh my gosh. Like, I know who you are, and it's only from classes. It's crazy. And awesome.

Maggie 

It's wild. I also feel like I run into the same like, NPCs on campus. Like, I pass the same people every day, same time. I'm like, There's blonde hair NPC, there's glasses NPC, like, I know you do. I know your name?

Michaela 

Nope.

Maggie 

No, but I know who you are.

Michaela 

I love that you use NPC, Maggie, because that's my favorite.

Maggie 

They're campus, non playable characters. I'm like, I'm probably never going to interact with you, but like I see you every day. You know? You were my favorite background character in my life. You are seen.

Michaela 

You are seen. By me.

Debra Olabode 

 Hi, I'm Deborah, and I am a double major in social work and International Studies. And on campus, I'm an RA, and also I'm a member of the urban cohort.

Maggie 

Lovely, lovely. Well, right off the bat, what scared you most about this new chapter of your life?

Debra Olabode 

I mean a lot, I think the uncertainty of like, what college would bring, especially since ... so you watch, like, a lot of college shows and college movies, and you're like, Oh, this is what college is. But I also have older siblings that are like, that's a lie. And I'm like, bro, what is college? So I think just not knowing what college would be like if I chose to right College, if I'm gonna enjoy college, if I'm gonna enjoy my major, I think that really was something that, like freaked me out alot.

Maggie 

Definitely. I think what you said too about having older siblings. I mean, I have two older sisters who also went here. So coming into it, I felt so... like I know where this building is, and I know where this building is, and I know what the good dining halls are, like... That is about maybe, 0.2% of college. I'd say, maybe, like, knowing where things are and like, that's a very, very small part of college. And the rest of it still was like so different from anything my sisters could have ever prepared me for, you know, because we all went here for such different things, and so I feel like it's kind of like, no matter how much prep you feel like you get for it, you really like, never know everything that's gonna happen and that can be so scary.

Debra Olabode 

Yeah, oh my gosh.

Andie 

And I'm Andy, and I'm also a senior social work major at Miami. I think for me it's the very common one, which is making friends. What? How? What does that look like on a college campus? It's different than high school, where you're just friends with the people that you have classes with and have lunch with, like, are you in C Block lunch? Okay, let's sit together. It's a little different at college, and it's a lot well, it's kind of similar, based on who you're in a dorm with, if you're living on campus. But if you're commuting, if you're a non traditional ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ, how do you make community on this campus, and how do you find that? And the thing I discovered on this campus is that there's an infinite amount of places that you can go to find community and to find your people. So eventually I figured it out, but it was definitely learning curve in the beginning, and very nerve wracking.

Maggie 

I think it is probably a universal experience for people starting college, is that change is always going to be scary, and it's not going to be comfortable, and it's not going to be easy, and there is a period of time where you're kind of, you know, maybe stumbling a little bit, and you're, you're not sure what the next four years of your life are gonna look like, but eventually, you know, you figure it out, you get your feet back under you, and things just start going the way they're meant to go.

Audrey Allen 

I'm Audrey Allen. I am an environmental Earth Science major, and I co major in sustainability. I minor in entrepreneurship, and I'm getting my GIS certificate.

Maggie 

Slay! Okay, before coming to college. What scared you most?

Audrey Allen 

All your teachers in high school and stuff saying that college is going to be really hard, and it was. Classes are harder. And that did hold up, I suppose. But in hindsight, or even as I was entering these classes, it made sense, because if you think about it, if you're entering college, the classes need to be harder, because it can't be high school all over again. And it's sort of like a natural progression to, like, take more advanced courses. But then now, like, four years later, I'm like, ugh college, like, my classes are like, in the back of my mind, like, I'm thinking about grad school and stuff like these classes, like they're nothing any more.

Maggie 

No, truly, and it can be such... It's almost, for me, I think about that. It's almost like a vote of confidence for myself. I think about where I started, like, in my intro GIS courses, like the beginning of my sophomore year. And then I think about the advanced GIS courses that I'm in right now, and how some of the stuff that we're learning, I'm like, oh, yeah, of course, like, this is how you do that. And I think, like, a year ago, a year and a half ago, like, I would not have known how to do that. It's so weird to think about. Yes, college is harder. It needs to be. You're getting a degree, you're going to be entering the workforce, going to grad school, med school, whatever have you. And it's important to remember, like, this is hard, but like, it's what you want to do, you know, push yourself a little bit harder to be good at what you want to do.

Cyle Ginsberg 

My name is Cyle Ginsberg. I am a senior International Studies and Economics double major. I've got minors in philosophy, Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies. I remember my first ever college class was Arabic 101, and the professor started the class with a two minute introduction in Arabic.

Maggie 

Oh, wow. Talk about an intro for a 101 class.

Cyle Ginsberg 

Terrifying. I was like, is this what college is gonna be like? Like, Is this my entire college experience is gonna be listening to a language I don't understand. But it got better. We got past.

Maggie 

Yeah. We're past 101 now, you know. No, I had the same experience when I took Spanish 201 I took 101 and 102 online.

Cyle Ginsberg 

Gotcha.

Maggie 

So I had not had an in person language class experience, and when I signed up for the course, nowhere did it say that the course was taught in Spanish. So I go to class on the first day. First of all, went to the wrong section of the class on the first day. Don't know how that happened, but the professor comes in and she's like, hola como estas. And I was like, Huh, what? Que? I literally... I was like, hold on, hold on, what's going on? And then she just keeps going the entire class. She's speaking in Spanish, and I'm just sitting there, like, what is happening? But it's like, Oh, I feel like that's one of the college experiences. One of your class will just absolutely out of the gate, gonna just freak you out a little bit, and then you just have to figure out what's going on along the way.

Cyle Ginsberg 

And I think some professors like to do it just for fun. Just jump right in.

Maggie 

They want to watch the freshman squirm. I'm convinced that's what some professors are looking for. They just want to make the freshman uncomfortable.

Cyle Ginsberg 

It's gonna happen at some point.

Maggie 

It's gonna happen. And eventually, you know, you get over kind of the awkwardness of it, and you get into the flow of things with your classes. And that doesn't always happen first semester. You know, sometimes you gotta wait until the spring. Maybe it's your second fall at school, but there's no timeline. Everything happens on your own terms. I love that about college. It's a time to just explore who you are, what you want to be, what you want to do. That's what college is all about.

Maggie 

If you're facing fears about college, whether it's fitting in falling behind, failing or just figuring it all out, you are not alone, and it's okay to be scared, so take a deep breath. You're doing better than you think, and no matter what comes your way, you've got this one step at a time. Until next time, find more stories, advice and inspiration from major insight wherever podcasts are found.