For many years I have been an academic advisor for first year students. I meet these students for the first time the weekend before classes start. The meeting is short, we go over problems with their schedules, mainly. I try to ask a few personal questions, let them know that I am a caring person, but I don't really know them yet.
They are starting something new, an adventure. Some are a little homesick already, unsure about their choices, their abilities. Some appear so eager to be away from home and their old lives, this is a chance to start over. They have a lot to learn...new people, new places, new demands.
But, with only the rare exception, they are enthusiastic. They are ready. They have moved into their new life and are ready to get on with it. I love seeing them. I love the infectious energy they have. I know that in a few months I will be seeing a few of them in tears. They will feel overwhelmed, under pressure, and unable to cope. They will be tired, frustrated, and scared.
I hope that at that time we can bring back some of the feeling of this opening weekend, some of the enthusiasm and excitement.
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