an honest conversation about college: what everyone goes through but no one talks about

[@AbbyAlexand]

believing that everyone is smarter than you in class is so real

[@skelellele4256]

Abby Deleon it also doesn’t help when they try to flex it in your face even though you have the same grades as them and now suddenly they are on a pedestal and liked by the teacher more ugh.

[@starabyi8222]

Couldn’t agree any more

[@adilazaros2818]

So true, and even though most of the time my grades are higher than others grades I still don’t believe in myself at all

[@AbbyAlexand]

@@adilazaros2818 yeah, I feel like I'm not supposed to be there even though I passed the prerequisites with no problem

[@Trapmoneyjohn]

its called imposter syndrome and its real

[@bobbychoi9246]

Ooh i felt that “feeling everyone is smarter than you” bit. As a STEM kid. Thats all you ever feel

[@vianneybarragan804]

I FEEL YOU. I always feel like i'm too dum for STEM and it really discourages me and has had me thinking about just dropping out. It's so stressful

[@shrutiroy2938]

this is so frickin true

[@slannevlogging2462]

I am a stem kid aswell

[@kaylafayrie2.0]

im not even in college but this is making me feel 100x better knowing I'm not the only one worried about this and that this is going to happen to literally everyone and not just me so thanks syd for making this

[@sydsvids]

you’re welcome! I feel like we all need a lil reminder

[@elizabethmesserschmidt534]

As a freshman who was thinking about transferring and is currently going through what you described, this really helped me. Thank you❤️

[@itskendra9964]

Same :(

[@singingcoversweekly3108]

I am a freshmen too and went in Monday which they said classes were on campus and then by Monday evening they were all online so I had to travel home 3 hours to get better wifi😬😬😬

[@lizbethramirez543]

@@ainsleygrace4260 me too. I transferred halfway through my freshman year and I don’t regret it either but sometimes I think it would have worked out too. But I’m happy now and I hope you are too 😊

[@clickprofileimage]

Is homework stressing you up? Having trouble juggling classes with work or life? Send me an email, and I will help you out. ([e-mail]). Don't worry, this is 100% safe and confidential. The quality is great too. You'll never regret reaching out to me. This, for me, is more like a passion than a business. I love helping students achieve a good school/life balance by taking tasks off their hands. And I am pretty talented, so you're guaranteed to get awesome grades. My rates are absolutely affordable too. Please don't let doubt stop you. If you feel this is not for you, that’s okay. But please don’t post a negative comment. I’m all about LOVE, dearest. Otherwise, send me an email and you'll never have to worry about good grades or deadlines ever again. ([e-mail]). 💜💜💜

[@auroracody882]

@@ainsleygrace4260 I transferred as a sophomore too and I'm currently thinking about going back to my old school! I thought I would be happier at a "better" school but I miss my friends and old campus

[@SamElle]

honestly people have said that college would be the 4 best years and it truly just wasnt. I was miserable all during undergrad

[@skelellele4256]

Sam Elle I felt like if I wasn’t in a sorority then I wasn’t going to have fun or that my way of enjoying myself alone and doing my own thing wasn’t good enough. Totally feel you.

[@abbyweispfennig382]

Sam Elle This is exactly how I feel. College honestly sucks.

[@SamElle]

Abby W yup it’s nothing like the movies or shows at alll

[@roxanajohnson2789]

Exactly I feel like every person that I see is with someone else and then there’s just me alone and then I get depressed about it. Like I know relationships aren’t everything but like it gets to you and it’s kind of hard not to think about it when everyone around you is with somebody

[@clickprofileimage]

Hey stranger! College can be exhausting. Speaking of that, is homework stressing you up? Having trouble juggling classes with work/life? Send me an email, and I will help you out. ([e-mail]). Don't worry, this is 100% safe and confidential. The quality is great too. You'll never regret reaching out to me. This, for me, is more like a passion than a business. I love helping students achieve a good school/life balance by taking tasks off their hands. And I am pretty talented, so you're guaranteed to get awesome grades. My rates are absolutely affordable too. Please don't let doubt stop you. If you feel this is not for you, that’s okay. But please don’t post a negative comment. I’m all about LOVE, dearest. Otherwise, send me an email and you'll never have to worry about good grades or deadlines ever again. ([e-mail]). 💜💜💜

[@Infinityxoxo26]

Honestly, the first 2 months' loneliness is the thing I'm relating to the most right now. I'm in my first year and I'm almost done my first month. I moved away for the first time & it's really overwhelming when you leave everything you've known your whole life or who have known you, and going to a completely new environment (school & residence) and feeling extremely lonely. I'm not the type to be super outgoing and on top of that, a pandemic is still going on, so finding that social network of friends at school is really difficult, which has made me reconsider every decision I've made that's got me to this point, especially the decision of me moving into residence. I thought I would at least make a few friends and branch out more than I would have if I was studying at home. Also, the "besties with your roommate" thing is also really accurate, it's really hit or miss. For me, it wasn't as easy to become friends just because of my introverted personality and because she's in a completely different faculty so it's not like collaborating to work through classes is a thing we could do. Idk why I went on this tangent but I just wanted to say that these points are really common and yet, there are people (especially elders) who believe you should "just get over it" and that's just not healthy to say. Okay thanks lol.

[@peacesignlover02]

Girl I’m right there with you! I feel behind in a sense compared to other people. I’ve made friends but I’m not really close to many besides my roommate. Praise God that I’m close to her. Not so much my suite mates but we’re friendly towards one another. This pandemic has made it really hard to connect with people in my experience. I legit just had a breakdown over this and not feeling good enough this past Sunday. This video has made me feel 100x better. Hope it did for you as well :)

[@emmalinekent9876]

@@peacesignlover02 In the same boat ://// I am trying to stay positive because I know we are in a pandemic and meeting people is harder than usual. Friends and settling into a new life comes with time, but I am finding this first month to be particularly tough. I hope everything falls into place for you guys

[@createkate.9021]

I'm feeling the EXACT same way. Starting college in itself is so incredibly hard but in a pandemic, it's been one of the hardest thing I've ever gone through. I've had a hard time meeting (and connecting with) people too, and the workload's a lot, and I miss my home. I'm basically just ranting at this point but you are so not alone, I'm feeling this way too and so are so many other people. It'll get easier over time, and we should all be so incredibly proud of ourselves for going through this time, so I'm trying to remind myself to be kind to myself. Wishing you the best through this all, we'll make it out!!

[@peacesignlover02]

Emmaline Kent right? I’m feeling really “behind” right now in a sense. Kinda behind on work, behind on friendships, and behind on the college experience. I’m just praying that rona goes away😫 I pray it falls in place for you too :)

[@peacesignlover02]

createkate. I’m glad I’m not the only one, but I hate that you feel this way too. I’m missing my family even though they’re an hour away lol. Being at college is different than being at home. Go on and rant girl, I’ll listen😅 we’ll make it though this, one step at a time :)

[@saritacohen2097]

Hi! I’m a psych major and we actually learned about imposter syndrome. It’s the feeling that everyone in the same position as u is astronomically better even though you worked just as hard definitely deserve to be there. This is a very normal thing to feel and unfortunately is something we are wired to do. It’s supposed to help motivate u to be the best possible at that thing but it can actually really do the opposite. Everyone feels it at some point so ure not alone but sometimes it helps to remember that ur brain is made to work that way and it’s not something that’s wrong with u or different and sometimes brains are just stupid. There are actually a lot of things that can be boiled down to your brain can be stupid at times🤣 thank you for making this video and validating all of our fears

[@saritaj1438]

ayy my name's sarita!!

[@klearlyclouds]

I’ll be a psych major😌

[@edvards9315]

imposter syndromw? SUS LOL AM OGUS AOMUGOOSUUS AOMGUS AMOGSUS je(sus)

[@Ariel-yo1rs]

I think another thing that gets stigmatized is homesickness and/or going home over the weekend. Everyone always talks about how they can’t wait to leave home and that there’s light homesickness during the period of adjustment, but I felt like a lot of student struggle beyond that period. I definitely did well into my sophomore year (I am currently a senior) I am the oldest, so I felt like I was missing seeing my siblings grow up and I was so homesick, and I always felt like I had to have an excuse to go home bc people judge you for going home rather than staying on campus. It’s alright to be homesick, even after freshman year, and it’s okay go to home to see your family.

[@rosieskull6963]

yess!!!! i'm the oldest too and i tend to go home every three weeks/each month because i miss my siblings and my family. in my first year of uni i always felt like i needed an excuse or people would silently judge me, but now in my second year i just go when i feel like and really don't care what other people think. i think it's really important to know that you can love your college experience and AND still miss your family, they don't have to be mutually exclusive. it's literally okay to go home as often as you want

[@kellyj817]

True, I would go home to visit my mom every 2-3 weeks. I would say that if you have family or a family member that you miss then you are one of the lucky ones 👌

[@CK-jm7sq]

I really needed this. I'm hardcore struggling right now with online school and I feel like I'm not learning anything. It's so frustrating. There's not enough time in the day to teach myself all of the content and then do homework and volunteer and be the president of a club and be a part of societies and be a good member of the symposium committee for the state I live in and still have time for mental health and socializing and breathing and sleeping and living

[@heathervanos8975]

I really admire you! I feel like I don't have enough time in the day to do everything I need to do, and all I have to do is study basically 😂

[@ryanleelol]

Sydney, you have such a mature way of putting things, I can completely relate. Hearing someone else say the things I've been thinking is so comforting.

[@sahadcamorlinga4658]

Impostor syndrome hits HARD in college, literally every single day I think I’m not good enough for my major and that I’m not smart enough. It also frustrates me so much that I’m not “naturally” smart and have to work double the amount to complete just one normal task. I’m so pressured in finishing my career on time but honestly, taking 7 subjects a semester (bc that’s how my plan is written) in an engineering major is so so so exhausting and i have questioned so many things but mostly myself. College is hard, not only because of school but also because of everything that is going on inside your head. Thank you for speaking about this and letting me feel like I’m not alone. Also if you feel like this feel free to message me because you are not alone in this situation ♥️

[@huzaifahnadeem]

I'm also an engineering major and I feel the exact same way. It almost feels like you can't control your thoughts, feelings, and emotions bc your brain has wired itself to negativity, which turns into anxiety and depression overtime. And when your mental health becomes a problem, you can't simultaneously work and deal with your mental health, bc it feels like a burden. Then people (parents especially) start blaming you for procrastinating, being unmotivated (lazy), miserable, and alone, when they don't know what you're going through bc they're not in your shoes or haven't experienced it, even after explaining your situation. College was always complicated, but when did it become a burden on our health, and when did people become so selfish to the point people stopped checking-in on each other, and everyone is SO focused on themselves these days!

[@lydiaaberg2013]

Someone finally put the “it’s hard to make new friends outside of your hometown because no one knows anything about you so it’s hard to make connections easily” in to words! Going from a graduating class of 78 people in high school to a class of ~1000 in college (in which no one from my hometown went to), it was really hard to make friends and honestly you explained why really well.

[@jordanbasalyga6980]

I’m currently a freshman at penn state, and that period of loneliness is SO REAL. hit too close to home. Thank you for talking about this

[@hi-iu3kp]

sydney’s in penn state too you should go meet her lol!!

[@artemis5479]

omg sydney is in penn state too

[@katarinachiogna-solovey3560]

There's also just so many people at Penn State, it's not surprising that PSU students feel lonely

[@elhuber11]

hey queen I’m also a freshman at penn state we should get together!!! my snapchat is elhuber1 :)

[@roxanajohnson2789]

I am a junior and I still feel that every time I move back in

[@laurentrapp01]

i literally failed a stats exam 2 hours ago so this video came at the perfect time 🥺❤️

[@audreytice4537]

i’ve cried at least 7 times over the past week because of college and this helped a lot thank you so much

[@katherinedeoliveira8777]

Literally feeling this way today since my professor put in my exam grade like it’s not a bad grade but it’s not a great grade and it’s lower than the average so then I go into the same spiral of I’m not smart enough or my grades are only gonna get worse and I just try to remind myself these numbers don’t define me but my behavior and mindset after that moment does. Thank you for this honest and vulnerable conversation! :)) It’s a weird time and college is hard but we’re all gonna get through this! Good luck at zoom university everyone 💛💛💛

[@nicole9200]

IM SORRY I DISLIKED THIS BY ACCIDENT I IMMEDIATELY UN-DISLIKED IT but in case you thought i did it was an accident im sorry have an amazing day/night

[@sydsvids]

FELT THIS. when it’s not even bad just not what you were hoping for...ugh

[@kendallnader8490]

syd's vids same. A lot of this in the video applies to high school too. Grades feel like a really important thing in the moment... and after for a while... and it’s stressful :(

[@katherinedeoliveira8777]

Nicole hahahaha it’s okay you’re so sweet to let me know I didn’t even realize!! Have a great rest of your week :)).

[@katherinedeoliveira8777]

syd's vids precisely :(

[@kierstenh8419]

Watching this video, I almost cried tears of both relief and disappointment knowing that most college students feel this way. I’m a senior going through the college application process, and I’m so stressed trying to figure out if I’m applying to the right schools, where I’ll feel most at home, which school will be easiest to make friends at. As someone who is extremely introverted, I already feel a crazy amount of pressure to meet friends quickly my freshman year of college to avoid loneliness. Thank you SO much for talking about this and normalizing these feelings!

[@jennakompare1590]

Hey! I’m applying to college now too and I feel the same way. I’m so nervous about if COVIDs still happening when we’re freshmen, because then it will be even harder to make friends if people have to mostly stay in their dorms. Where are you thinking about applying?

[@argentealupa]

I just started my freshman year at Penn State and I know how you feel about feeling stupid in a class. I've also had several mental break downs (more to come) and being out of state only makes it worse. But this video was so relatable and helpful.

[@DanielaBodoh]

YES THE LONELINESS THING. I literally thought I was going to be best friends with my suitemates and we would do literally everything together and talk about living together next year and all that, but in reality it's not like that. Not that we hate each other or anything, we just literally don't talk to each other. We just do our own thing. And I'm not the type of person who will just walk into a room full of people and make friends with every single person, so I was having trouble making friends and at one point during the first week of classes, I thought I just wasn't fitting into the school. On top of not having the BFF type relationship with my suitemates, I felt like they were doing stuff together and leaving me out, and at the same time that was going on, I had been kicked off my dorm building's GroupMe for a reason that I still to this day do not know. And when I got added back the next day, I found out that it was one of my suitemates who had kicked me out (the last person I would have expected to kick me out) and that people were saying some not-so-nice things about me on the chat (I found this out upon reading back everything that went on while I was out of the chat). I just didn't feel like I was fitting in and that was making me really sad because I thought this school was the one for me. Things are a lot better now, and although me and my suitemates aren't exactly meant to be BFFs, we still live together well and are on good terms which is all that's important. And I realized that the reason I didn't feel like I fit in initially was because I just hadn't found my peeps yet. Now, I realized that my "peeps" (aka the people I fit in with the most) are the people in my major. I'm a music major (violin performance) and us musicians tend to mesh well with each other. We can relate to not being "partying" kind of people because we have to practice a lot. And I'm not a "party and get drunk" kind of person like most people my age are so it's nice to have some people to relate to so I don't feel like I'm the only one who's not into drinking and stuff. In fact, last weekend while lots of people were out getting drunk, I practiced at midnight, which is something only a musician can relate to. Anyway, that's the end of my rant lol, thanks for coming to my Ted Talk 😂

[@HotSoup4theW11]

I just started but this looks so high quality and good, Syd!!! And I really need this right now. Thank you so much

[@sarahship7551]

girl I have the "everyone else is smarter than me i don't belong here" spiral three times a week and now i have to apply to grad school. My mind is convinced i'm not going to get in to any schools even though i have most of the necessary credentials. I am so glad you are talking about this. I think that a lot of people in college feel this way and its great to know we are not alone.

[@sirrob1789]

One thing I've heard is that two things make us unhappy. Comparing ourselves to others and dwelling on the past. great vid syd. part 2 please!

[@alialisonyt]

tip from a grad student: try turning that intimidation into motivation- make friends with the people who have the great spreadsheets, put yourself in the same room as the people doing well, and your mindset will change. Learn and grow with them, and don't be afraid to ask questions. There are people who have a lot of background experience, and then there are people learning it for the first time. Not everyone will have the same abilities at first- and that is okay. Love all your videos Syd!!!

[@Julia.connolly54]

anxiety and insecurities don't often listen to logic but you are absolutely amazing and no lesser than any one else at your school.

[@evin._.yildirim]

I kinda had the urge to cry while watching your video. You perfectly explained all my insecurities and fears that I've been botteling up these last 2 months. Coming from a Belgian freshman college student. I really needed this, thank you

[@felisolano3797]

As a senior , I’m just glad I wasn’t the only one who felt and feels this way

[@laylla7692]

the one about you doing the most and thinking it's still not enough is so true. i lost count of how many all nighters i've pulled studying for classes i didn't even like and i still thought i was not doing enough, literally do not lose sleep over classes anymore, it's not good for me and i've learned to put my health and sanity first. now the challenge is how to balance both college and a health lifestyle. spoiler alert: not easy.

[@marinmyers1879]

Thank you for talking about this ❤️ The freshman loneliness is so real especially when a lot of school is all online.

[@bethanylocklear4560]

This actually made me want to cry! Not cry because I’m sad but cry in relief knowing I’m not the only one feeling this way. College has been extra stressful this semester adjusting to everything new. I’m a sophomore this year but I felt like a freshman all over again starting back. To anyone reading this, you’re going to make college your bitch! Get out there and kick ass

[@SophSwagg]

You don't understand how good it feels to hear someone else talk about what college is really like. I always always always felt like I regretted going to my college and have never felt like I belonged. As a junior, it already feels like I'm way behind my other peers and constantly having doubts about what I really want to do. I miss some multiple choice questions on an exam and I'm spiraling like it's the end of the world?? Like what?? How is that healthy?? The two-month college loneliness has been more like 18 months lol. I never felt like I made a genuine connection with anyone on that campus because I just come from a much different upbringing. Now that we're all on Zoom, I've actually found it easier to make connections with new people! It's also super disappointing to think I'm not experiencing my early 20s like I should be, pandemic and all. Thank you greatly for starting this conversation! It's brave to really come out and talk about the "hidden" part about the college *experience.* Welp, that's enough from me. Take care and stay safe, Sydney!!!

[@greennnlover]

i loved this video so much. as a sophomore in college, this stuff is so real. i feel so dumb most of the time and continuously compare myself to others, when in all actuality I'm doing just as good of a job as they are. i loveddd that you mentioned the "four year plan" because i was looking into adding another minor but it would take an additional semester, so i automatically shook that idea out of my head because i didn't want to be "behind." college is a hot mess and no one has it together, so I'm so glad you are talking about it and making me not feel alone lmao.

[@Jlharris129]

I'm so glad you talked about loneliness. I go to a state school, and I definitely got so much judgement for still being friends with people from my hometown--several of them were also just my best friends since we were kids and were border line siblings to me. But I wasn't gonna ignore the people who already were supportive of me to make new friends suddenly that are in reality so hard to come by anyways. Why not keep a support system I am familiar with while simultaneously looking for new friends.

[@sydney5839]

I really needed this. I've had a lousy week and this helped a lot

[@virginiagarey6051]

Impostor syndrome is SO REAL and I had it bad. But I just graduated and I freaking did it, there’s light at the end of the tunnel girl you got this!

[@JN.S.M]

As a fresh graduate, I also struggled with comparing myself to others. The thing that helped me the most with that was the quote "Don't compare yourself with other people; compare yourself with who you were yesterday." This means that your target should always be to make today's work better than the work you did yesterday. By this way, you will keep out-performing yourself and doing better everyday. These small progresses add up. Keep moving forward, and I promise that one day you will look back and be grateful that you didn't give up ❤

[@Samanthasspace]

I can assure you this was NOT boring. I am also a college Junior and I've felt so many of these things. No one talks about them, I didn't talk about them until sophomore year when I finally got a real friend group together. You touching on insta in the first 2 months was spot on. I'd go to the same events as other people in my classes, see them be as bored as I am, then go back to my dorm, hop online and see them post about "the best night ever" and contemplate what I did wrong. WHEN I KNEW IT WAS AN ACT 🙃 Also when you figure out how to stop letting those "i need to drop out of my major" thoughts from getting to you, hit ya girl up bc it's a weekly occurrence at this point

[@carolinesnell6026]

ok imposter syndrome is realllll. i'm a third year math major, but my freshman year was the absolute worst year of my life because I kept struggling with this fear that I'm not good enough. I'm also in this academic group through my college with 50 people in each grade, and to this day I still think someone made a mistake letting me in. I know it's hard, but when you start to doubt yourself, you have to snap back and remind yourself of all that you've accomplished. No one made a mistake, you're not an imposter, you're where you are because you deserve to be there

[@gen6984]

OMG This video spoke to me. I too entered University in an academic program and I didn’t get along with my roommates. I am introverted, I was a first generation college student and I hated my whole first semester of school. Everything you spoke about is so relatable. It’s a roller coaster but we’ll get through it! Also, I loved this realistic content ❤️

[@jennywang1480]

the professional development thing. seriously hits home so hard. i’m at a point where i’ve barely begun to think about internships and securing jobs, focusing largely on maintaining grades and extracurriculars, while so many people around me are hypercompetitive about networking and gathering work experience. thanks so much for sharing and would love a part 2!!

[@danielsimandjuntak4126]

I believe your sharing helps many others to feel they're not alone in a lot of these real struggles. Often, at college (encountering a new set of environments), we don't feel like we have a safe community to share, express frustration, and talk through the feelings you've mentioned. We face the mental breakdowns alone (maybe it's a part of adulthood?). I'd like to say a community (aka group of close friends) would help but I've gone through my share of personal moments when all I've got is my diary (at least I believe so even though I'm more than fortunate that there are people supporting & praying for me). I've only heard "impostor syndrome" because of an across-states university graduate student survey (which suggests that it is more prevalent than I previously thought). So, I guess your video is very relevant.

[@reaganpetersen9906]

I’m glad you mentioned the lonely phase as only two months because it sucks. I have no idea how everyone just became best friends with their roommates - it’s unreal

[@DE-cy9nw]

Who else can agree that we can feel the realness that Syd produces in her videos? I've seen a lot of videos from other college KZbinrs, but with Syd, she's one of those people who doesn't come off as "polished."

[@juliadebraganca1580]

I literally can relate to you in EVERY single topic. I’m a foreign student and my freshman year was H A R D. The first two months I just wanted to go back home but the guilt of making my parents waste all that money just to give up was driving me absolutely crazy. I had no friends and my classes were the absolute worst. I ended up making brazilian friends which was the best thing that happened to me and changed my major which was the second best thing that happened to me. Now I can’t stay away from my university and I don’t ever want to leave❤️ (btw I’ve been watching your videos since you got into college and I love you, you helped me so much you have no idea)

[@DanielaBodoh]

"Like a Canvas discussion, except less horrific and everyone's getting an A." That's a whole mood lol 😂

[@buffaloben15golf88]

12:51 Yo that question is so relatable but Sydney, there is something great about you asking that question. You are a hard worker and will stop at nothing to succeed. There’s people in college around you that think that they’re doing enough and then the big exam comes around and they get absolutely destroyed and then ask “how the hell did this happen to me waaAaaAAaa!?” You’re not like that, you’re not soft. You’ve been in pain so long that you think people like that don’t exist but believe me, as a college student myself, I know softies like that. Yeah it might hurt you to think that but that also exposes the great constructive virtues you possess and that is never a given in this day and age. Keep fighting the good fight.

[@TheWorldAccordingToV]

THANK YOU she really do be saying what other ppl won’t

[@Anubistalk]

As someone who had taken an extra year for his first degree and now doing an extra year for a second one because of reasons, this is honestly very honest and extremely true in many ways about the university/college experience. The imposter syndrome is so strong at points it literally impossible to break, it can very much make or break people in programs.

[@paulnestler]

I graduated from Penn State 2 years ago and this was spot on. Not necessarily because of the school, but because college is the most dramatic change in most people's lives. I wish I'd seen this video when I was in school and encourage anyone there now or on their way to college to listen. You're going to be okay.

[@lydiacole5927]

I'm a senior and haven't done any internships. It's also completely fine to do your first internship after you actually graduate! Everyone has their own path to success :)

[@christophereverett007]

As a first year who has definitely dealt with not knowing if they made the right college choice, I can definitely relate. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@binitabasnet777]

THE MOST RELEVANT REALISTIC VIDEO EVER ; you are like my sit down and talk to about any and everything sister

[@a.q.earles1570]

This is how I have been feeling for the past 3 days. I'm a freshman trying to get into a nursing program and I have had so many bumps in the process of trying to apply. I don't know if community college is for me, but then again it's probably me overanalyzing things. This has really helped me feel better. Thank you so much

[@unclearlyclaire]

imposter syndrome and self doubt is so real....i'm really grateful you made this video and opened up this conversation :)))) thank u for reminding me im not alone!

[@selenaa516]

As a 3rd year going to UC (University of California) Davis, I have dealt with ALL of these problems. I was told that I’d make lifelong friends, but I’ve honestly made none that kept in touch more than a month. I’m also CONSTANTLY comparing myself to others around me and beat myself up whenever I get anything lower the average. I’ve had times where I’ve felt that my school isn’t for me, and times where my logic flew out the window because of the comparisons I made. Although I still suffer from imposter syndrome today, I’ve learned that this is MY journey. It doesn’t matter what others do. I still compare myself to others, but I catch myself before it becomes overly toxic. I may not be in a bunch of organizations or having the most amazing college experience ever, but I’m here. Remind yourselves of the good things-I remind myself that I’m a first-generation student pursuing something I’m passionate about, that I’m going to one of the best schools in this country, and that I got accepted for a reason. Thank you Syd for making this video. I’d love to talk to you and others about this in more detail if you’re interested. Nothing about our college experiences should be taboo.

[@MegaRoseyCheeks]

YES! As a senior in college and graduating a semester early (thank god), I've had so much anxiety over the years about not being good enough for my major and not knowing what I want to do after graduation. We all need a reminder that not everyone has everything figured out and knows what they're doing! We're all trying to figure it out together :)

[@cynthiasprouse1096]

This video was so helpful for me no one ever talks about the struggles of college you talked about and just knowing others feel this way helped me so much and made me feel okay about college and my choices!

[@sarahzurilgen4054]

I have felt this so much. I’m not in college yet but everything I do revolves around it so it’s just making my high school experience more stressful than it probably should. I just want to thank you for showing that I’m not the only one that feels like this, it truly does make a difference knowing you aren’t alone💕 I love you and your vids btw, I look forward to them every time ❤️

[@meghankelly5685]

Yes!!!! I graduated from college in 2020 and this is so important for college students to hear. Especially on the career front - I have friends who prioritized internships and I have friends who prioritized school/extracurriculars, and we’re all in the same place career wise now. Don’t feel like you have to have 29374923 co-ops/internships to secure a good job offer especially if doing that during school is going to make you explode internally! It’ll all work out

[@milanliu1246]

College is definitely full of the highest highs & lowest lows! I just graduated from Penn State (we are!!) and definitely went through low patches of feeling like I was working all the time & like I wasn't as successful as those around me & was struggling with the social scene. That said, one of the best lessons I learned (halfway through junior year - it takes time!!) was to prioritize myself (sleep, exercise, human interaction, eating normal food on a normal schedule), and when that came first, everything else seemed to fall into place (at least, in the long-run - it doesn't feel like that day to day!) I wish I could tell my younger self (& this is big sister advice to any undergrads) to take care of yourself and not worry so much. In the grand scheme of things, everything will be okay and it'll be over before you know it!

[@emilybudraitis223]

As a sophomore in college I can relate to this so much from freshman year. I think everyone is so pressured to have best friends and a group but everyone is really just trying to figure everything out in general. Thanks so much for this video because it’s so true how there is so many ups and downs of the first couple months of school that not everyone talks about and you really described what I was and probably so many other people were thinking.

[@KathrinH1997]

I think I can honestly relate to every situation you mentioned at least a little bit. I am starting my 4th year of college in Germany in a month and technically here you are supposed to finish after 3 years, which I know I never could've done, especially since I study a science major. I thought so many times about dropping everything(especially after I failed almost every exam in my first semester) or transferring or changing majors. I still don't know if anything of it would have been better for me but I am kinda happy with how it worked out now. And the first two months feeling lonely is such a true thing. I theoretically had some girls that I could call friends but they didn't feel right for me and I always just thought they would drop me anyways...which they did. And I did feel lonely a lot. Even later. Everyone was spending free time together and I was so busy studying, I didn't even understand where they found the time for that... So thank you for talking about it. It's definitely still very stigmatised!

[@alanisdelvalle1980]

I saw this at the best moment! I'm a freshman, who started a completely new transition "online". Has this been hard, have I lost 7 lbs. in two weeks, have I stressed as never before in my life. Oh my God, he's been with me through this whole process, it's been so uphill, and it's just the second/third month. I'm hopeful, thanks Sydney.

[@maggieo2439]

Graduated five years ago but watching this and nodding the entire time. You are very mature and smart - you are going to be great!!!

[@ishretkaur6890]

Feeling lonely in your freshman year is so true. Plus I was an International student, it sucked on whole different level for me. It was not like I couldn't understand the culture or had a harder time in classes, but just the fact that i did not make amazing friends during my first few months and it gets super lonely. I was having second thoughts about spending so much money and coming to a foreign university. I had the feeling that people were not accepting me. But it does get better. After a few months I had amazing people around me who I knew I could rely on come what may. This video was so amazing, it made me realise that I am not alone in feeling all these things. And don't worry Sydney you are doing great, and I am sure you have amazing things in your future. P.S. Please make a second part, this was an amazing video

[@volleyballgirl82565]

I'm a senior at a different Big 10 university and I still feel all of these things despite being ready to graduate in the spring. The whole mentality of never doing enough and never being enough is so so toxic and pervasive on college campuses and as someone who works with first year students as a resident assistant, I feel like I'm telling my residents all of these things that I can't even stick to myself. Don't get me started on how the concept of changing your mind about your major or career goals after college is soooo stigmatized...It took an advisor reminding me three times that even if I succeed in my first venture after college that I could still (and probably will) change my mind and be just as successful for me to finally realize how many times professionals realistically change their careers before they find the right fit...so why can't we accept that its normal to do that in undergrad??? Or even in graduate school?? Anyways, just thank you for talking about this. It's so reassuring to know someone else feels the same way

[@laurahull974]

tysm for this :)) i'm a senior in high school and i've had a continuous existential crisis since like march so it's nice to know i'm not the only one freaking out lol. since I'm the oldest child this video is kinda like an older sibling chat that i really needed so tysmmm

[@maddisonchin3112]

Even tho u were “nervy” to post this I hope u realize it has positively impacted us & made people feel better about how their college experience is going. W most of the different topics u discussed I was thinking like I already try to tell myself that there r others that feel just as confused or lost as me so I’m not alone but another thing that really got me was when u talked about your bf doing 4 1/2 years. Finishing your undergrad is always seen to take 4 years but it’s just built by society. I’ve felt pressure about finishing “on time” by others that will bring it up or say they try to take more classes per sem to finish early or save money but ur right, people learn differently & understand things in different ways. I don’t want to just be rushing through classes and not feel like I’m actually learning. I try to take up other opportunities/experiences on campus to try new things and grow.

[@studybug5189]

You have no idea how much I needed this video. I'm 15, and this is my first year of college. On my first math homework assignment, I got an 83% and literally had a complete breakdown. Like Sydney said, it was worth a tiny percentage of my grade, but I felt like a complete failure. I'm still dealing with imposter syndrome and feeling like everyone in my classes is so much smarter. College is a huge transition, and having it all online doesnt help either. Thank you for having this conversation and making me feel less alone.

[@luciachase7484]

Do u live in the states?

[@studybug5189]

Yes!

[@america9744]

Thank you for being so raw. I totally understand you and remember that college is about learning, don’t compare yourself to others.

[@america9744]

You’re there for a reason!

[@briannahamrick4933]

I am a freshman at a university and a commuter, and it is honestly so comforting knowing that I am not the only person that feels lonely. I already considered transferring, but I am just going to stick it out to see what happens.

[@dorothymao432]

I'm a sophomore in college right now and I just wanted to say this video is incredibly accurate and well done. Thank you

[@deniseculton]

I would think it would be such a relief for some college people to hear this and know they are not alone in these things and that I f you are going through that, they can realize it's not that they are idiots or weird. Good for you for opening up about these issues.

[@bozjeemma]

The anxiety of not doing enough is so real. Especially when I get into a semester a bit more I get so mentally exhausted I just can't get as much done as I did at the beginning, but then I beat myself down that I am not working as hard as before. Which increases anxiety and just makes me even less productive. And just like you said, I know the logic I have around it doesn't make any sense, but then actually being able to change it is so hard. Thanks for making this video Syd!

[@paoladajer4209]

I LOVE HOW HONEST YOU WERE!! You see the jokes about college stress and anxiety during midterms or finals season, but hardly all semester long. My freshman year (2 years ago) started great but ended horribly, and I think I discovered you around that time. Since then, your videos always have but a smile on my face. Thank you for this and for all the laughter tears you have gotten out of me. Love from Puerto Rico!!

[@sophiehooper]

As a sophomore education major at Michigan State University, I related to all 100% of this. It’s really comforting knowing that I’m not the only one who feels this way; thanks for making this video!! :)

[@flaviagallardo3486]

i’m a freshman in pre med AND I CAN RELATE SOOO MUCH TO THE FIRST PART OF THE VIDEO, literally everyone is so smart and it’s really hard to not compare myself to the rest and feel so dumb around them that makes me rethink my career decision WHEN I CANT SEE MYSELF DOING ANYTHING ELSE🙂

[@eva.rashid]

As a sophmore right now, this video was honestly so refreshing and helpful. It made me so happy to hear so many things that I relate to about this college experience. I was a commuter student my first year so I literally made no friends on campus. And I’m even more upset by this after I did put in effort and talked to people in my classes. Now with online school and being stuck at home, I feel like I’m actually spending all day just studying & doing work while having no friends. I feel like I have accomplished nothing so far in college while I see everyone else thriving.

[@jayaravi1125]

please make more videos like this! I love this style of video where you are able to give insight on your college experiences to other college students. It's nice to hear that other people feel lonely in college or aren't bestfriends with their roommates.

[@halsesch9303]

ALL OF THIS IS SO REAL, and nobody talks about it which makes it worse!!!!! I love this please do a part two.

[@vanessanoelle]

I've been breaking down all day and on the brink of tears - this video couldn't have come at a better time

[@taylordavidsen4610]

Actuarial science is so hard! I had a friend who did it and it was like looking at NASA plans or something. Also I'm graduating at 26 from college and transferred 3x! Totally worth going to a school that you enjoy! Also I changed my major 2x lmao but now I'm so happy!

[@SenecaBrynn]

this is so important! the part about prioritizing different things in college (and thus having different levels of experience/internships, etc) is so true, I feel like it's something that needs to be emphasized more. thank you for talking about this!

[@coriingram5223]

As a college student, I needed this. That first question hit harddd I haven't even finished the video yet Going into my second year of school all my other friends came from high school with associate degrees were studying for their LSATS, MCAT and GREs etc. Everyone worked in labs over the summer or published research and I felt so unaccomplished and not deserving to be sharing the same academic space as these people but it gets better! You get focused, you work harder and you make a lot of really good friends with amazing inspiring people.

[@haileyfussell]

I needed this video today. I'm a freshman this year in college and this is already so real, especially because I have to do remote college and can't make friends. This made me feel so much less alone thank you

[@shivanipatel3513]

Hi Sydney! I'm a college freshman and boy is it sad during quarantine lol. I'm a biology major and I literally study in my room alone all day. I don't like to complain about it because I understand that going to university is a privilege, but sometimes it just gets too lonely and disappointing. Thanks for this video, it made me feel a lot better about online school, as well as my confidence going into my major. It's not easy to talk about your insecurities or shortcomings and I really appreciate and commend you for doing so.

[@lizharges5690]

As a mother of a freshman your video could not be more relevant and timely. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Please do more.

[@jmohomed18]

Omg yessss. This video is so needed. I just graduated August and when I started school I was on track to graduate May 2020 and the way people would ask why I’m taking so long, why I’m not a spring graduate....and like it really shouldn’t matter as you said. At the end of the day you get the same degree as someone who graduated yesterday, today or the next day. Like people really should watch this and understand the raw hard core truth of being a college student. This is most definitely an eye opener video 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@rosietorres068]

As a sophomore in college, I went through all of this within my two years in college and I wanna thank you for making this video. After this video, I realized I wasn't alone and this should be talked about more often.

[@rachels3]

the last one is so true!! whenever im doing anything that isn't homework or studying i feel so so guilty! i'm prelaw and ive done nothing to prepare at all and i have to take the last soon and i've never had a good internship or job it's so stressful

[@Girliegirl1314]

I have never related to anything more, thank you for talking about these things and making me feel like I'm not alone!

[@sabrinareyes8756]

Im a freshman at a PSU branch campus and I honestly felt like I was in the wrong place and since I'm doing 2 + 2 and I'm Pre-Med, I felt so dumb. I truly felt like they meant to send the acceptance letter to someone else. Knowing that people at UP feel this way too makes me feel so much better. On some level I knew but actually hearing it makes such a big difference. This video honestly has helped me feel so much more secure in where I stand and that I'm not the only one feeling this way. I took honors chem and AP chem in high school, more advanced than half of my Chem 110 class but I still feel like the dumbest one there. Thank you for being so transparent and making us feel so much bette

[@catiehart4521]

this honestly made me feel so much better, i've literally been feeling so overwhelmed and underqualified for life in college and it's nice to know someone else feels that way

[@laurasherman99]

I totally agree about the freshman year loneliness. I never thought I would feel homesick, but it hit me hard. I was so thankful I had a camp counselor who shared a similar experience cause it made me feel like it wasn’t just me.

[@isabellapeytonbelden1680]

This right here. I’m a freshman coming from homeschool(!). I have no freaking idea what I’m doing. I’m have breakdowns, crying in the library, crying in the shower. Yet I’m doing freaking fine. I have a b or a in all my classes. Yet I still don’t think I’m doing enough. I’m not organized enough. My notes are wrong. I’m studying wrong. I would love to I hear more from you on this topic because college isn’t sunshine and rainbows all the time and we need to talk about the cloudy days more.

[@hopemay]

I get free laundry in my dorm. I feel so lucky.

[@chap5674]

You are

[@esAmaranta]

I'm Mexican we don't have dorms but I think it's super weird that students already pay for the dorm and they have to pay extra for the washing machine, for me it doesn't make sense

[@isabellastahl7337]

you have been blessed, child

[@nayelisanchez8518]

I feel like the situation with the zoom you were talking about where like you felt intimidated, I totally get that! I went from a super small high school and being relatively smart to being in a class with 240 kids that were all so professional and they knew all these things that I didn't. Certain things like the story you shared I totally get, sometimes it takes me into a downward spiral and sometimes I get over it in 10 minutes. What helps me is to remind myself that the same way I think those other students are professional someone in the class might think of me that way???

[@HarryPotter-kd3bh]

Sydney, I'm a junior at a large texas university. I'm also in a competitive major (70 accepted students). I'm also keeping up with 2 jobs while in college to support myself because my scholarship doesn't take care of all my expenses (granted, I'm not living the "broke" college life either). Juggling all this work in addition to my fitness schedule and my research assistant position has been rough. One of the biggest things I learned early on is that the trick to doing this work is to be ahead of the time curve. If an assignment is due next week, I try to get it done in 1 day. Then, I do everything I can (such as attending those office hrs/ TA sessions where people talk about the problem sets, practice exams, etc.) because I've been in that spot where you get back a grade of 50% because I didn't read something right and submitted the HW wrong even though I knew what was going on. What I'm trying to say here is that I'm pretty similar to that girl who has all the problems done. What I want to tell you is that there is no shame. I honestly cringe everytime someone asks about question 1 in the middle of the session- not because they're dumb or anything (they usually aren't). I cringe because I feel so sad that they were probably losing their mind for the entire first half of the session while everybody who has been forced by their workloads to do things earlier is talking about their results. I never struck up the courage to say this (I've been telling myself that when senior year 2nd semester rolls around, I'll try to organize a friendly little lecture with some high-GPA buddies of mine to explain how not to get stressed out in college) but I've always wanted to just tell people not to worry about what others think. There is no shame in learning- only shame to those who want to stop others from learning. I think most people think I'm some hard ass. I always ask tons of questions in class, push the professor to talk about off-topic stuff, etc. people have called me annoying, extra, etc. etc. But that's just beside the point. The goal of college is to learn- not to get a degree. If you're just in college to party and so you can get a job you've probably got WAY bigger problems in other areas of your life. So, to any fellow undergrads out there, please, don't think about how far back you are. Just make the decision that you want to improve and, as long as you're not disruptive, you'll get to where you need to be in life. I can't speak for all hardcore people. Some of my classmates are very snakey, rude, steamroller-types who enjoy seeing students struggle. I was also like that for a bit (even after I used to get steamrolled by these same types of people in high school when I was just a clueless social butterfly). At the end of the day, however, we all need to realize that hardcore or not, the goal for everybody is to learn the material so we can be well-informed in our areas of study and equip ourselves with the tools that will help us achieve our goals (whether that be to treat patients for premeds, to work on business relations/etc. for business majors, etc.). Only the ignorant will think higher of themselves when they see others struggling. I'm reminded of a quote that "smart" people make you feel dumb, but truly smart people make you feel smart too because they understand the value of collective knowledge. I aspire to be the latter group all the time. I hope in writing this comment that you also get the drift and remember to keep your feelings close. Hope we can chat further. You seem like a cool person.

[@abigailpace260]

As a freshman going through this during a pandemic, this video is so helpful. It is so good to hear that everyone goes through a tough time in the beginning and also being insecure within your major. Thank you so much!!! ❤️

[@TattedTrad.]

Legit, I spent over 20 hours studying for my research and statistics class and my Spanish exam and for Cs. I never felt more discouraged in my life. This video made me feel so much better. I’m not the only one struggling and honestly, our grades are not the end of the world

[@jessicaserra1417]

Thank you so much for this video! I am a freshman in college and it’s reassuring to hear that other people feel the same way I do. 💗