Episode
Managing Expectations and Disappointment in College (and in Life): Life Struggles No One Talks About
- Podcast
- Never Perfect
- Published
- Jan 16, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 4076
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://traffic.megaphone.fm/ECP1160055946.mp3
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/never-perfect-3666863/episodes/managing-expectations-and-disappointment-in-college-and-in-life-life-struggles-no-one-talks-about/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/never-perfect-3666863/managing-expectations-and-disappointment-in-college-and-in-life-life-struggles-no-one-talks-about.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
Why does college feel so much harder than you expected it to be? This episode is about the struggles associated with adjusting to college, but many of the themes are universal and apply to other life stages and transitions as well. Some of the biggest challenges in life involve managing expectations and dealing with disappointment. These challenges often come into play when you’re navigating unknowns and big milestones such as going to college, developing new relationships, getting a new job, and more. College can be one of the biggest transitions of your life—new routines, new expectations, new environments, new friendships… and often a lot of grief under the surface. Many college students may be grieving their high school experience, missing old friends and family, and feeling overwhelmed by a new environment. Depression, anxiety, and loneliness are very common, especially during the first semester. However, some people do great at first, and difficult emotions may appear later as the novelty wears off and reality sets in. In today’s episode, you’ll hear the story of one student who almost transferred near the end of her first semester of college. So for those of you struggling in college—or with any phase of life—please remember: YOU ARE NOT ALONE ❤️ Tessa is currently a junior in college, but she had a very difficult first semester and was seriously talking about transferring when things started to turn around. She shares how her first semester didn’t match what she expected, how it impacted her confidence, and why she felt like something must be wrong with her when it seemed like everyone else was having more fun. Dr. Beth and Tessa talk about how long it can take to build real friendships, how to handle uncomfortable social situations and loneliness, and why givi…