In two days, I'll be moving into my dorm room at Purdue. It's the first time I've ever lived in a different house for more than a week. I'm really excited and ready to leave, but at the same time, I'm extremely stressed and nervous. Here are some of the random emotions and thoughts I have running though my head. Hopefully, many of you can related to some - or all - of these!
1. How the heck am I going to fit all this stuff into my tiny room?
I'm one of those people that overpacks for a day trip. I have to be prepared, no matter what. What if it's cold in my dorm? What if I decide to go out and party? (haha, yeah right.) What if I don't have a pair of shoes to go with an outfit? What if I forget what my friends look like because I don't have pictures of them on my wall? (I may have forgotten I have a phone with those exact same pictures...) At the moment, I'm starting to load up a third suitcase with towels, clothes, and more clothes, simply because I have to have everything with me. Packing up my life into a few suitcases and boxes isn't going to be easy.
2. I'm leaving the place I've known for the last eighteen years!
I've lived in the same house my entire life. I grew up sleeping in the same room, watching TV in the same room, and making popcorn and cookies in the same kitchen. Having to adjust to a new place isn't going to be easy. I don't know much about West Lafayette. I don't have any family telling me to go to bed or to do my homework. Everything that I've ever known is going to be just over an hour away.
3. How am I going to adult?
Yes, I've started using the word "adult" as a verb. For the last eighteen years, I've always had my mom or dad around to help me out. Sure, now they're just a phone call away, but I'm the only one who really knows my schedule. My parents have no clue what time church is at, or when my paper in History is due. I'm on my own now.
4. I'll miss my friends too much!
I'm lucky that many of my friends are going to the same school as me. But there are a lot of underclassmen that I've become close with - whether they're from church or school - and I'm going to miss them a lot. Sometimes, I get so busy and forget to communicate with far away friends, so I'm definitely going to have to learn to keep up with my friends back home.
5. I can't wait to start over fresh.
While I do have friends going to Purdue with me, college is typically a time for people to reinvent themselves. I'm planning on using this time to figure out more about myself - what I like to do in my free time, if I can really keep my dorm clean, and breaking out of my comfort zone more than I already have. I think it will be interesting to look back after my first semester and see how much I've changed since high school. Sure, I'll still be on the bowling team, and I'll still have some of the same friends, but maybe I'll pick up a new hobby.
This upcoming week will be very difficult for me, with a plethora of emotions to come. While I know it will be stressful and hectic, I also realize that I'm about to experience one of the best times of my life. And I can't wait!
