This week has been chaos times two. Not only did I just finish orientation week, but also, the first week of courses is done and over. Already, the anxiety is starting to catch up a bit, but I believe the hardest part is all over. Of course, I I but gave a doubt in my mind that it will get more challenging, however, more so than ever, I have found stability in my morals and met some amazing people along the way. For all those who are about to leave to start this new chapter in their life, I present to you my personal experiences as I began my first semester.
1. Getting to know your roommates
Every encounter with a roommate is different, but with me, I felt welcomed when I walked into the room. I have two, both in Communication Studies, and generally speaking, we are slowly but surely getting more comfortable with the idea of sharing space and respecting each other's privacy. The first few days, I will say, were pretty silent, only exchanging a few sentences here and there, but more recently, it's been easier to be in relation with one another and share stories from our past or what is going on now. In similar respects, we have also managed to keep our ties close by texting each other if we are out grocery shopping and need anything, or when any one of us will be out late and ensure that we will come in quietly.
The golden rule stands prominently in living with roommates: do onto others as you would like done on to you. So, talk, ask questions, keep communication key because they may be the first person you need when you are living together.
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2. Meeting people outside your major
During orientation week, I was given amazing opportunities to expand outside of my comfort zone and meet people from all spectrums of the university. From those who aspired to be directors or doctors, commuters or residents in separate halls, local or 5,000 miles away, all it took to branch out was a simple "hello" or "may I sit with you?" Now, what made this so daunting to me at first was my expectation of high school; throughout the years, I was rather timid and the only times I would be "active" in my classes was when I had a 'core' foundation of friends surrounding me. However, college, in many respects, is a completely different experience and I loved it. Here, I was so much more comfortable to be myself and it was because I was meeting people who were in the same boat. We comparatively fell along the same line as new students in a new environment and new freedoms and challenges. It has only been two weeks, yet I have felt more at ease to meet others than I ever have. In addition, I have found time to balance my schedule with friends by setting apart a few hours in my day to gather together for meals in the cafeteria or Starbucks or be more productive and get a study group going. No matter what it is, getting together always makes my day a little brighter, especially when you are laughing the whole way through.
3. Room space and Organization
As you may already know, dorm rooms are small. Not uncomfortably small, but as an only child going from a full space to jam all my clothes and shoes to 1/3 of a room is quite a shock to the system. Fortunately, for Chapman's set up, I was able to have my bed lifted to fit my dresser underneath which means I had a ton of empty space for storage drawers and bins. I highly suggest taking the same route or at least investing in under bed storage bins or hangers that hold more than one article of clothing to reduce space in the closet, too.
Along the lines of decor, less is always more. Above my bed, I kept it simple by hanging two small banners I made from Michaels and above my desk, I made a collage from an old picture frame, hung a string from one side to the other, and clipped Polaroids on top. The point of decorating is not to be flashy, but to make it more so like a home. It may be tight, but that doesn't mean you can't have at least a little fun with it.
*Tip: When it comes to scheduling, make sure to map out your routine with your roommates and plan when everyone showers and wakes up so that all of you can start out your day easily and ensure you enough time to walk to class.
4. Classrooms and Professors
I will keep this short and sweet: communicate with your teachers. If you do not understand something, ask questions. In order to strengthen your bond between you and your professor, you have to be bold enough to talk; trust me, they will not be irritated to answer to you.
Though I realize that every college testimony is different, I hope that mine can (at least) ease any concerns as you embark on this new journey. I wish you all the best of luck, Class of 2020!
