How to Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed as a College Freshman

In high school, I learned and lived my college application story enough times to convince myself that it was what I really wanted; as a first-generation Turkish-American who spoke three languages, I was ready to tell anyone that I wanted to spend the rest of my life studying comparative literature, preparing for a Ph. D after my undergrad years.

The convenience of a unique, perfectly coiffed application story made it difficult for me to realize that I was boxing myself into a field of study...