As graduation approaches for the Lick-Wilmerding High School class of 2026, many seniors are preparing for more than just dorm shopping and course registration. While the transition to college can bring loneliness, uncertainty and pressure to quickly adapt, alumni say learning to navigate these experiences has taught them important lessons on friendship, independence and growth.
National studies show that the transition to college can significantly impact students’ mental health. A 2018 study conducted by the World Health Organization reported that one-third of students experienced mental health struggles before they even arrived as freshmen in college, and that over 40% of undergraduate students have considered dropping out due to mental health struggles.
While this transition comes with loneliness, sudden independence, academic pressure and the challenge of rebuilding support systems, recent alumni say these challenges can be best managed by understanding that discomfort and uncertainty are all normal parts of the process.
For recent LWHS graduate and freshman at the University of Michigan, Rebecca Shyved ’25, adjusting to college meant learning how to embrace uncertainty instead of fearing it.
“You have to get really comfortable with being uncomfortable,” Shyved said. “You are going to feel a little homesick or be in new scary classes or not know how to do a lot of new things, but know one day that uncertainty will pass.”
For Shyved, one of the biggest mental adjustments was moving from LWHS’s highly personalized, small environment to a much larger university system that demanded more independence.
“You go from a 16-person classroom to a lecture hall with sometimes 370 people,” Shyved said. “It’s a whole new world of how to take notes and how to study.”
Beyond academics, alumni emphasized that maintaining strong mental health during the transition often depends on actively rebuilding systems of support and friendships. For Diego Loeb ’20, starting college at home during the pandemic made that process extremely difficult.
“Normally, there would be so many opportunities to casually talk to people,” he said. “But over Zoom it was really hard to build those connections.”
Looking back, Loeb’s biggest advice was to continue to put yourself in unfamiliar social situations, which would make the emotional transition significantly easier. “Go to as many different club meetings as you can,” he said. “Even things you normally wouldn’t be interested in. Odds are if you keep putting yourself out there, you’re going to meet someone or find something that clicks.”
Shyved echoed that idea, explaining that college gives students more freedom to intentionally choose the people they surround themselves with.
“You have so much agency over the people you choose to spend your time with,” Shyved said. “At Lick, there are only around 140 people in your grade. In college, there are so many more people, and you can really find the people that actually fill your bucket and make you feel fulfilled.”
Other alumni described how mindset can dramatically shape the college experience. Amelia Scrubski ’22 said she entered her freshman year at George Washington University feeling discouraged after not being able to attend one of her top-choice schools.
“I was in a super negative headspace going into it,” Scrubski said. “Most people were buying merch and visiting campus and trying to meet people, but I wasn’t into that at all.”
Scrubski recalled feeling especially isolated during her first days on campus after being placed into a single dorm room.
“I remember waking up in my dorm and feeling so lost with what to do,” Scrubski said. “I literally walked up and down my hall four times to ‘go to the bathroom’ hoping I might finally run into someone new.”
Now, looking back on her college experience, Scrubski said one of the most important parts of adjusting is allowing yourself to fully embrace uncertainty instead of resisting it.
“My biggest advice is to just lean into it,” Scrubski said. “People go into college expecting to instantly feel settled, but that takes time. You really have to give new experiences a chance.”
photo courtesy of Vidigami
As alumni reflected on the emotional challenges of transitioning into college, current LWHS students are also trying to create more open conversations around mental health before graduation.
Bring Change to Mind (BC2M), a student-led club focused on mental health awareness, works to reduce stigma surrounding emotional well-being and encourage students to seek support earlier on. From May 11th to the 15th, BC2M held its annual wellness week, a time for students to destress as the finals approach.
“I think as children it’s really easy to be like, ‘Oh well, I’m a kid, there’s nothing seriously bad,’” BC2M leader Maggie Buchholz ’26 said. “But I think it’s important for those ages to get support when they’re young, rather than go through that your whole life.”
As a senior herself, Buchholz said many students are already anxious about rebuilding friendships, adjusting to independence and entering unfamiliar social environments.
“For many people, and for me, we have really good friends at Lick, so starting over in that way is very stressful,” Buchholz said.
Still, many alumni emphasized that discomfort during the transition often becomes part of the growth that college brings.
“In high school, people can get really caught up in what others think. But in college, if you pretend to be someone you’re not, you’ll attract people you might not actually connect with,” Shyved said. “Just truly be yourself.”
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