Sentimentality.

Leila Palizi
Alpha Delta Pi

I’m a pretty sentimental person. I live in the past a little bit too much. And sometimes, I like to take a moment to sit down and think.

My first semester freshman year was, to put it bluntly, rough. I know that I’m not the first person to attend IU out-of-state, nor am I the first person to ever feel homesick. But to me, it was a huge deal. Suddenly, the campus that had enticed me with its charm and serenity felt more like a prison than a home. Something clearly was not right here.

I toyed with the idea of transferring schools more than once. Visions of California sunshine and being surrounded by everyone and everything that was familiar to me danced in my head.

I didn’t do it though. I'm glad I didn't. Because for the first time in my life, I was completely, undoubtedly out of my comfort zone.  No longer could I expect to come to school every day and see my same group of friends posted up at our usual spot at one of the trees in the upper quad. No longer did my mom have the power to call me every 15 minutes starting at 11:45 p.m. asking me when I’m coming home on weekend nights (I love my mom, but really?). No connections, no sense of familiarity, nothing. I was an anonymous face in a school of over 40,000 students. What a feeling.

It’s funny how things change. It’s funny how my simple decision to attend school out-of-state for the mere fact that I wanted out of my hometown forced me to do something very, very important - it forced me to grow up.

Not knowing anyone upon moving into the dorms ensured that I had to make an effort to get to know people rather than sitting in my room Skyping my friends back home. Sorority recruitment made me an expert at conversation and small talk. Gigantic lecture classes where the professor had no idea who I was made me work even harder to stand out. And I’m not exactly sure what the benefits of learning to gracefully walk in 5-inch heels are just yet, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out eventually.

As I sat through my boring classes senior year of high school with visions of IU dancing in my head, it’s crazy to think how at that time I had no idea how things were going to unfold. I didn’t know any of you. I didn’t know what direction my college life was going to take.

Even crazier is that all you lovely people whom I’ve met at IU were busy existing too, in your hometowns all across the country. You too, were all battling senioritis, going to prom, and proudly wearing your cream and crimson in anticipation for the coming months.

Everything came together. It hasn’t always been the smoothest ride, nor has it been an easy one. But it’s been an experience that has been absolutely unparalleled, and one that beats going to the local state university tenfold. (Also, there’s no Steak n Shake back home, which already in itself makes going to school in Indiana worth it).

I stumbled upon this quote recently: “A ship in a harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.”  Thanks for forcing me out of the harbor, IU. I owe you one.

Leila is a sophomore studying journalism, Spanish and political science. You may contact her at lpalizi@indiana.edu.