Unsolicited advice for when you’re nervous

New things, like starting university or even just a new course, can be scary. You might be worried about people liking  you when you first meet, or if you’re up to a task you’ll face.

For instance, when I first came into the Phoenix (the theatre department/building), I was trying to find my way around, figure out how things work and fretting about making a good impression on the people around me.

In all things we begin, there is always a sense of the unknown. Personally, I think that is both the best and worst thing about new experiences. It’s disconcerting and it makes me a nervous wreck, but it’s also thrilling and it could be the beginning of a wonderful new chapter in your life. I mean, that’s why we do it, isn’t it? That’s why we do new things, even if they scare us and we don’t know what we’re doing: there’s hope that it will lead to happiness or be worth it in some other way.

So here’s my advice. Well, it’s not really advice in the instructive sense, but a calming reassurance to hold on to when you’re nervous about starting something new.

Everything in your life was new once. Nothing in this world has existed forever, not you, not your parents, not the ground you walk on. You have plenty in your life that was new once and now you’re used to all those things. You’re used to riding a bike, even though it was scary when you learned as a child. You were used to high school, maybe even sick of it, even though it was intimidating when you first went there. Whatever you’re facing or will face, it’s going to get better and easier and more familiar and, eventually, you’re going to get used to it. Just trust that, eventually, it will inevitably happen.

Trust and give things time.

PS: this is not limited to university.