ReadingAAboutayearago,asacollegefreshmanatCornell,IwasassignedashortvideoprojectformyIntrotoDigitalMediacourse.Idecidedtofocusonmydisappointmentwiththeearlyweeksofcollege:HowIcouldn’tgetpastsuperficialconversation,howIcouldn’tseemtoenjoyparties,feelcomfortableoncampus,orjustmeetpeoplewhoIwantedtospendmoretimearound.Ifeltsolostandbeyondconfused.IhadbeenaprettysocialpersoninhighschoolandIfullyexpectedtomakegreatfriendsrightawaywhenIgottocollege.It’ssupposedtobethetimeofyourlife,right?2

ReadingAIhadbeenlookingforwardtocollegeforyears.Istartedstudyingforstandardizedtestsinthe10thyear,hammeringoutextracurricularactivitiesandA.P.coursesallthroughthe11thyear,andspentmysenioryeartypingapplicationstillmyfingerspracticallybled.Igotintoagreatschool,pleasingmyselfandmyfamily.ThiswasnotthepayoffIexpected.3TheworstpartwasthatIfeltasifIweretheonlyonewhowasthislonely.I’dseeallthesefreshmenwalkinpacks—justmassivegroupsoffriendsalreadyformedinthefirsttwoweeksofschool.Icouldn’tmusterthecouragetoaskpeopletogetlunch.Itwassofrustrating.Iimmediatelyturnedonmyself—criticizedandblamedmyselfforbeingweirdandunapproachable.4

ReadingAIspentatonoftimeonsocialmedia,constantlycheckinginonmyhighschoolfriendsandseeinghowtheyweregettingalongattheircolleges.They’dpostmoreandtextmeless.Ireallytriedtoputmyselfoutthere,butthemorepeopleImet,themoredefeatedIfelt.Iwasn’tinterestedinforgingfakerelationshipsoutofnecessity,IwantedgenuinefriendshipsthatIcouldtreasure.Whycouldn’tIfindtheminmyfirstmonthoncampus?5

ReadingAIpouredmylonelinessintothefour-and-a-half-minutefilmImade,calledMyCollegeTransition.IposteditonYouTubeexpectingonlymyprofessorandacoupleoffriendstos