How To Survive Loneliness? Freshman's Viral Video Shows Transition To College Life

A video of a freshman, Emery Bergmann, of Cornell University in New York, depicting transition into college life is going viral on social media.

The 17-year-old Fine Arts major from Montclair, New Jersey, made the short film, "My College Transition," as a part of digital media class homework assignment. Her video had received more than 74,000 views at the time of publishing this story.

"I knew I would only enjoy making the video if the subject I was showing was something I had strong feelings about," Bergmann told Today Parents.

Talking about the glamor factor often linked to the beginning of college life, Bergmann said: "I had just been talking to an acquaintance about how the college experience we see on the media or understand through stories from friends and family seemed to be a bit of a garnished reality."

So when she was tasked with the homework, she decided to showcase her own transition to college which was not that perfect. "I thought that my shifting point of view was enough of a transformation, and ran with it from there," she said.

Bergmann described her first week on the campus where she would observe hordes of freshmen migrating to Collegetown parties, dining halls or relaxing in the dormitories in large groups. In an interview with The Cornell Daily Sun, she admitted to feeling frustrated, lonely and isolated.

She said she knew there were other people too who were in her position, however, she wasn't able to see them. "There’s no way I’m the only person on this campus that’s not making friends, but from what I saw, it felt like it was only me," she recalled.

Here are some ways you can overcome the phase of loneliness when you enter your college life.

1) Get out of your room: While you need to stay in your room for talking to your close ones over phone calls or Skype, you should also put an effort to step out of your room — maybe to a campus coffee shop and read there. Staying inside the room can make you more homesick. Try to be around other people so that you can interact.

2) Feel sad but then move on: If you are really sad on the first day, there is nothing wrong as it is normal to feel homesick. Push yourself to move on. Get out of the room, go to a campus event, plan a study session with friends, try to join a club so that you stay engaged.

3) Realize that it's never too late to connect: Even if you have not joined any club or not made friends after several weeks into the college, don't worry. People keep dropping in and out of clubs all the time, so it's never late to join one. Go to the Office of Student Activities (or your campus equivalent) and ask if you can see a list of clubs. Drop by the radio station and see if it needs new or substitute DJs. See if you can still join the Campus Activities Board.

4) Accept the fact that you're not alone: You may feel like you're the only person struggling with homesickness, but that's not the case. Plan a "home away from home" night in your room where everyone can bring in their blankets and some snacks over. You all can watch a movie together.