I was terrified of my freshman year of college for one reason and one reason only: my 18^th birthday was on the fourth day of school. All of my friends back home had turned 18 before me and I loved celebrating with them. It seemed a little bit more exciting than turning 16 but yet was more relaxed and generally more of a good time. In high school, I never worried about not having anyone to celebrate with because my birthday was around Labor Day weekend and everyone was generally around to celebrate on at least one night so it always worked out.

I was really scared about having to spend my 18^th alone in my dorm room, which was obviously an over-exaggeration, but still a huge fear. I didn’t want to proclaim to my roommate and anyone who would listen that it was my birthday but I also didn’t want to keep it to myself. While my roommate and I were talking, the topic of birthdays came up and I mentioned mine was coming up and she got so excited. When the actual day arrived, I came back from my 5 p.m. class to find the few friends I had made in my dorm room with a poster that said “Happy Birthday!” and my bed covered in balloons. Needless to say, I had a blast that night and now I can’t wait to celebrate my birthday in college again this year.

I found that having a birthday while you’re at school is generally always just a little bit better than if it’s not at school. For college it’s obviously a little bit bittersweet because you’re not with your family. However, birthdays in college also come with a little element of surprise. You don’t have your parents around planning anything and you don’t really plan birthday parties for yourself. Everything is generally up to the people around you and that can be a very scary thing. Nothing is expected – I didn’t expect to come back to my room freshman year and find my friends sitting there with confetti, balloons, and cookies. It makes it more exciting.

Feel free to call me crazy or conceited, but I find that it’s reassuring knowing that people are actually paying attention. It’s interesting to see which of your friends from back home will send you something, or which of your friends at school will come say hi and want to celebrate with you. It’s amazing being surrounded by people who generally care about you and plan things for you not simply because it’s expected, but because they generally want you to have a good day. Sometimes, especially when you’re missing your family, it can be nice knowing you have other people around you who love you just as much.

For this reason, (and of course the obvious college party my friends and I are all planning to go to) I cannot wait to spend my birthday at college. I couldn’t imagine it any other way.