To start this article, I feel as though some background information about me is required to understand. I am a regional campus student at the Hartford campus but have been given the opportunity to live at the Storrs campus.

Going into this semester, it will be my first time living on campus and I have many thoughts about it. Commuting to the Hartford Campus was an experience I was not very fond of. To start off, I did not feel very connected to the campus whatsoever. While I was able to make a few friends, getting involved was nearly impossible. The Hartford campus is more of a building than an actual campus to me because it is a singular building surrounded by other tall buildings and streets. While there is a cozy Starbucks across the street, it doesn't feel like a campus to me whatsoever.

Therefore, going into this semester with actually living on campus gives me a ton of mixed feelings. The first feeling I have is pure excitement. I am so excited to meet new people and create a new Network for myself among genuine and caring people. I'm excited to get involved on campus and attend sporting events. Going into the school year, I have already made friends with my roommate, a couple of friends from Odyssey, and a transfer student. I have made a handful of amazing friends and am not even on the campus yet, so I am excited to see what is to come.

Another thing is I am very nervous about the experience altogether. I am extremely nervous about being on my own and needing to fend for myself. My whole life, my parents have been there to help me through life such as helping me with laundry, reminding me to eat, etc. Therefore, I'm nervous about needing to care for myself and be on my own. I am nervous I will end up making cups of microwave mac and cheese rather than heading down to the dining hall and eating a healthy, portioned meal. Or turning all my white clothing pink.

An additional emotion I am feeling is freedom. I am so excited to be on my own and be able to have some form of independence away from my parents. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom and dad and love them cooking for me and what not, but they can be slightly overbearing when it comes to knowing the details about my personal life. I am excited to be able to experience a level of freedom of not needing to ask permission or update an adult of my whereabouts every 5 minutes.

Lastly, I am feeling extreme happiness. I am so happy I have the opportunity to be apart of the UConn community altogether. I am so proud to be a UConn Husky and have such pride for my school. I can not wait to spend the next years of my life at the University of Connecticut with such amazing people and friends just around the corner.