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Hey,

I am so sorry to hear that you struggled in your first semester. I want to start out by saying that this doesn't mean your whole college experience has to be like this.

I can definitely relate to losing friends from high school. When I went on to college, a lot of my friends and I stopped talkig and hanging out. I know that you are super busy with work and class, but does your college have any clubs, social groups, or events that you could participate in? That way, you can meet people with a common interest, have fun, and not feel as lonely. Alternatively you can try and make friends with some of the people in your classes. For me, joining clubs was one of the best things I could have done for myself because without that, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet so many great people.

It won't help as much this semester, but next semester I do suggest utilizing your professors' office hours. These are where you can go talk with your professors and get extra help if you need it. Your professors will really appreciate the effort and it may help to have things explained one-on-one. If time prevents this from being an option, it still might help to email or call them. It may also help to form study groups with classmates, and if you school has an academic success center, you can use it for tutoring.

Does your school have a counseling center that you can use? They can be really useful with helping you transition to college, and may even be able to give you ways to balance everything such as working and going to class. So, they're there for more than just mental illness, and it can be super helpful to have someone to talk to about what is going on.

You are not a disappointment and you are not destined to be a failure. College is tough, but I know you can do this! This is only your first semester, which is one of the hardest ones. you'll be in different classes next semester with different people, and you may be able to set up strategies early on to help you succeed.

I know you can do this!

-Dez