First, take a deep breath. You are ok. Everything is ok.
How you are feeling is completely normal and honestly, if the college president was a parent or a recent college freshman or a student himself, he’d have said, “You’re feeling many things today including feeling alone, maybe a bit frightened, like a fish out of water, unsure, overwhelmed and maybe already homesick…” But, he is still selling his school, so you didn’t hear those things. I guarantee you every freshman, athlete or not, is feeling exactly as you are.
I am an adult (went to college a hundred years ago) and I still keep in touch with my assigned roommate from freshman year who I had little to nothing in common with. She and I laugh today because it took 25 years for each of us to disclose to the other that we were both terribly homesick, sort of unhappy, scared and unsure the first month of college! We laugh because we were each keeping a “stiff upper lip” and acting like we had it all together when that couldn’t have been the furthest thing from the truth. We both say how sad it was that we didn’t confide in the other because we could have helped each other get through the transition. So remember, as you look around and it seems like others may not be feeling as you, don’t be fooled - most freshmen are. Homesickness is really normal and a very real feeling. But remember, that feeling doesn’t mean you should go home. It just means you are adjusting to a very new environment and experience.
Don’t even think about any other options other than what you need to do today to settle in and adjust. Then tomorrow focus on tomorrow and so on. Adjusting is a process and its going to take time. Focus on getting organized, finding your classes, having everything you need and just take it day by day. Work on getting through each day and day by day things will get easier and your college will start to feel normal and eventually will even feel like home. Remember, for most college freshmen this is the biggest transition you’ve ever made in your life. Its going to make you feel uneasy, scared and sometimes downright unhappy. But the thing is, in order to grow, that’s the process we have to go through.
Be friendly, be kind, be yourself and you will make friends. Smile. Don’t hide in technology - greet people, leave your door open and be open to everyone. Look for opportunities to help others. What can you join? Is there a club or an activity that might be a fit for you? You must have scoped these types of things as you selected this school.
Just remember the way you are feeling is ok, its normal and you are embarking on a really big change in your life. This is how the body and mind react. You’ve got this! You can do it! Believe in yourself and believe in the opportunities in front of you.