Transitioning to life at UC Berkeley is a process for which you probably can’t properly prepare yourself, no matter how many College Confidential posts you read. You can however, familiarize yourself with some of the more common symptoms of being a first-month freshman. We at the Clog present a list of feelings you will experience during your first 30 days on campus.

The gut clench

On move-in day, you will be excited to start the next chapter of your life, and this excitement will possibly manifest itself as a literal glowing of the skin. Then, your parents will say, “We’re almost there,” and then you will begin to notice your surroundings, and then you will see UC Berkeley swag shops all around, and your glow will dim, and an invisible fork will twirl the spaghetti of your stomach. That tightness will linger even after you finally say goodbye to your family and see your dad cry for, like, the second time ever.

Maximum hype

College is exciting, and despite what elitist upperclassmen will tell you, there is nothing shameful about being excited over a UC Berkeley lanyard.

Insatiable hunger

At this point, you are confronted with a choice: be a responsible adult and use your meal points at one of UC Berkeley’s fine eateries, or treat yo’ self to an eighth slice of Artichoke Basille’s pizza.

Intense FOMO

You will spend a considerable amount of time watching the Snapchat stories of your friends back home because they attend schools which subscribe to the less-civilized quarter system. In these stories, your friends will have the audacity to have fun without you. It’s perfectly understandable to feel a touch of betrayal. To retaliate, we suggest posting aesthetic pictures of  your new Golden Bear family hanging out in San Francisco.

A sense of calm

At some point you will find yourself lost on campus looking for some obscure building. You will note you have time to spare and start exploring your surroundings, and then all at once, you will feel a tangible ripple of serenity course through you. Finally, you will realize that you were meant to be here, and you feel right at home.

Freshman year comes with a whirlwind of emotions and excitements, so just hang on tight and enjoy the ride!