It’s crazy to think about how much has happened since move in day. There’s no way someone could have prepared me for adjusting to all the changes in my life over the past few months. I’ve made so many friends, the kind of friends who make you love every day and even look forward to scheduled library study sessions. Professors aren’t as scary as I thought, I’m all right with eating lunch alone sometimes, and I am so happy to be learning things about myself in a place I love more than anywhere else. With everything that has happened this semester I have unintentionally made my college motto, “it’ll be fine.” Everything will be fine. I have such a journey ahead and with all that said, here are ten things I have learned about myself since coming to The College.
1. When my childhood friend told me the first week feels like summer camp, she was right.
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2. I'm not that picky when it comes to food. Healthy brownies or crappy dining hall pizza, anyone? I learned it helps to look at the dining hall menus in advance. If there are chocolate chip cookies, it's a go.
3. I want to help people and in college, you have to help people. Be there for someone when they're sick at a party or if someone looks like they're in an unsafe situation ask them if they're okay or if they need help.
4. I'm either the clumsiest person alive or the Charleston shuffle is too real. I've tripped a thousand times, basically fell down walking alone, almost tumbled into a bush, and have full on broken my sandal because I took a spill.
5. Making a connection with individuals matters!! Ask questions, make lunch plans, or get coffee with someone new. Everyone is trying to make new friends or find their place on campus. I get really scared people won't like me, or they'll think I'm weird because I say made up words like "poonickel" or "idiota." If people like you, they like you and if they don’t move on.
6. You can't run from your problems. Anxiety, stress, or insecurities? Girl, moving away or starting fresh somewhere can help, but if you're really sad on the inside you can't just expect to all of a sudden become the happiest person in the world. It's about accepting yourself and loving who you are (flaws and all).
7. You're going to make bad decisions — eating a whole bag of chips right before bed, spending all your money the first month of college, hanging out with boys who are mean to you, or staying up until 3 AM when you have an 8 AM the next day. The first year is all about the learning, finding myself, and what makes me happy.
8. I love going out, but staying in is just as fun whether it’s a weekend full of parties or a chill night with my girls. Both are good times, and some weekends I just need a nice heart to heart with my new college BFFs.
9. Your best friends from home will stay in contact with you. Whether they’re 2,500 miles away or 100 miles away, my best friends are my best friends. They'll have my back no matter what.
10. You miss your family more than you expect. When my family left after move in day I thought, "I'm going to have my own life here, they'll have their own there, and I'll see them in November. Turns out I really miss my mom and dad making me dinner or my sister always being there to listen to me complain about my problems or even my little brothers joking around all the time.
