Sally hugged goodbye to her teary-eyed parents and watched their red minivan drive off down the street. It was her first time away from her small town on her own and she wanted her first experience at this new place to be truly meaningful. Suddenly, she was filled with questions, \Will I look like a freshman because I don't know all the words to ""On Wisconsin,"" even though most of the upperclassmen don't either? Will I survive complete freedom and independence while overindulging in heavy underage drinking?"" So Sally did what any young UW-Madison student does when faced with fear: she got drunk.
The most common fears freshmen face surround leaving home for the first time. According to Ronald May, a UW-Madison psychology lecturer, most 18-year-olds cannot wait to be on their own but at the same time are afraid of being homesick.
""I'm worried about the little things like getting lost or getting a job, but more about whether or not I will remain friends with people from high school who go here,"" said Katy Hayes, a UW-Madison freshman from Racine, Wis.
""If you worry about the little things all the time, you're not going to have a good time. You have to be relaxed and laid-back because there's so much good stuff out there,"" said Drew Willert, a UW-Madison sophomore.
For students in long-distance relationships, leaving home can be even more challenging. For Samantha Abrahamzon, a former UW-Madison student who has now transferred to UW-Green Bay, having romantic ties at home made her afraid to form new relationships. The two remained together through daily phone calls, frequent trips home, and also by choosing not to lead active social lives outside of each other.
But when Abrahamzon realized there are 20,000 other males within a few miles, the boy five hours away did not matter so much.
""I gave up on him. It wasn't worth all the stress and missing out on all of the fun that was here,"" she said.
Ultimately, Abrahamzon and other freshmen suffer not because of homesickness but academics. The large class sizes and competitive atmosphere are what led her to change schools.
Especially for students entering into rigorous programs such as pre-engineering or pre-med, the transition from high school classes to UW-Madison is what is responsible for the most fears.
""Everyone says classes here are hard, but that's not the question. It's 'how hard?'"" said Alyssa Anzalone, a UW-Madison freshman from Racine, Wis.
Donald Woolston, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs for the College of Engineering, said the biggest fear of incoming freshmen is they think they ""have to be mechanical or technical wizards."" They think that since they did not have to struggle in certain classes in high school, it will be the same in college.
They quickly learn that even easier classes require some effort, even if it means falling asleep during lecture after staying up all night working on a new Facebook profile.
For students from small towns, the transition to the city and a large campus is daunting.
""It's a culture shock. Even the vocabulary is different here-bubbler versus drinking fountain, soda versus pop-it's a whole new language,"" Abrahamzon said.
According to May, students who are not able to cope with their anxieties tend to take a self-defeating attitude, remove themselves from social situations and no longer taking risks. They may also resort to drugs or alcohol too as a way to deal with anxiety.
However, Dr. Aaron Brower, UW-Madison Professor of Social Work and Liberal Studies, said the key to not letting fears become overwhelming
is to understand that having anxiety is normal and every freshman is going through the same fears.
""It would be pathological not to feel some anxiety,"" Brower said. ""It's important to take risks. Get involved, that's the best way.""
Brower added that the first few weeks of freshman year are the most challenging, but it becomes easier as students get more comfortable.
""There's just so much out there to do and so many cool people to meet. I love this school ... it's just a perfect place to be,"" Willert said.
As Sally awoke the next morning mildly hungover, she realized all of the questions inside her head would be answered soon enough and her fears would quickly subside. But in the meantime, she was dying to try what an upperclassmen had told her about the night before-a beer-bong.
