College is hard and sometimes its easy for us to feel lost.
As a freshman, I understand what it means to feel unsure. College is a time of new beginnings and while that can be fun, it can also be terrifying. Unlike many people, I came to college without my close friends. When I first arrived I felt alone and did not know what the future held. Now, nearly four months later, I could not be happier. Within the first month, or first few days even,
I made relationships with people that would change my life. We have come together to form not just a group of friends, but a family.
Our bunch may not be the picture that comes to mind when someone uses the word "family," but that's okay. The second someone starts to look closer at the bonds and structure of my group of friends, it becomes clear that we are all so much more than just friends. When a family like this is created certain things will happen over and over again.
1. Someone will always be late.
It doesn't matter if its the entire family or just a few of us getting together, there will always be that one person that just cannot get it together enough to be there on time. So you will never be on time. For anything.
2. Personal boundaries will no longer exist.
Remember that last piece of cake that you have been waiting to eat in your fridge? Someone already ate it. Did you think you could get into the shower and have some quiet time? Think again.
3. You will struggle together.
When you have procrastinated longer than you should have you can always be sure someone is will be there to make you coffee and listen to you complain about why you did this to yourself in the first place.
5. You will grow in faith together.
A family is a place where one can spiritually grow. In my family here; we pray together, go to church together, and openly talk about the struggles we have in our own faith.
6. You will never have to "figure it out" on your own.
You will always have someone there to help you. It can be something as trivial as unsticking a drawer or something as serious as changing your major, big or small there is always someone there for you.
7. You will have family drama will happen and that's okay.
Just like any other family you will not all always be happy and that's okay, you'll get through it. Honesty circles are a real thing, and they help. What matters is how the family comes back together after a disagreement.
8. You will have at least one person who knows where you are, all the time.
9. You will not look forward to school breaks.
Yes, you will be excited to have that break from the loads of school work, but you also will know that it will be time away from your friends. You will dread long breaks and rejoice when everyone is reunited.
10. You will have unconditional love for people that you didn't know existed a year ago.
It will seem crazy to you that you have made it through your entire life WITHOUT these people.
