I'm quickly approaching the one week anniversary since moving into my new home, Longwood University. If I'm completely honest, I didn't know what to expect other than the stereotypical college misconceptions. I've never lived anywhere else but my quaint house in Newport News, Virginia, so coming here was a big change to make.
1. "Free time or freak out time?"
After listening to multiple people talk about stuff that you'll most likely hear another 50 times can get EXTREMELY tiring. As any other student in their first week knows, you bed really does become your best friend. It's the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see before you go to bed. If you have a comfy Tempur-Pedic mattress topper like me, you know it can be 100 percent times harder to get out of bed every morning, or after your in between classes nap. But anyway, the trick is managing your time well and making sure you don't miss anything you were supposed to be going to. Having free time is both a blessing and a curse, be wise about how you spend it.
2. Ice breakers on ice breakers on ice breakers.
Yeah, we know. We are all freshmen here, except the perpetrator of these horrendous games. No, I don't want to sit in a circle with people I don't know and share things that no one else knows about me. That's not my definition of fun. But I suppose in the long run, that is where I will meet most of my friends.
3. Awkwardly putting yourself out there and hoping for the best.
Coming from a small high school, making friends can be an extremely uneasy and difficult thing to do. While you're still trying to figure out how to do everything on your own, you also have to make friends that will hopefully last a lifetime. I, for instance, have been very fortunate in my first week. I've already met some of the funniest, down to earth people and I've only been here for 5 days. If this doesn't give you a slither of hope for the future, I don't know what would. For others though, it may not be that easy. If you see someone sitting alone in the dining hall or anywhere else, make an effort to sit with them. You never know what may come out of those 20 seconds of courage.
4. Reality starts to set in.
You're living away from everything you've ever known for the first time, of course things are going to be confusing and overwhelming. Chances are, you're going to see things you never wanted to see, but in the big picture, it just contributes to the person that you will become. You have to learn how to do things on your own. For example, my roommate, a friend, and I finally found out how the bus system works around here. That had to have been the proudest moment of our lives. You'll also have to learn how to grocery shop for actual food, not just the snacks sitting near the check out line. And last but not least, you obviously have to figure out how living without your parents there works. Your mom isn't there to tell you, "oh maybe that's not a great idea," or "you might actually want to start eating fruits and vegetables." They taught us everything they thought we needed to know and now we actually get the chance to use it.
This is college after all. I mean yeah things are different, and everything is brand new to you, but make the most of it. You're here for a great education, but also cut loose and have fun. I can already tell, these are definitely going to be the best days of my life.
