It's that time of year again! School is back in session, and this year, no more high school shenanigans. Where has the time gone? You are already finished with your first week of college, and you realize it's not all fun and games anymore. Accompanied by a lot of adjustment, you’re getting through it!
1. Adjusting to dorm life.
Elevators, checking in every time you want to enter your building, communal bathrooms, no running water in your room? Everything between having to live with someone to sleeping on a very uncomfortable twin XL make calling this place home extremely difficult after only one week.
2. Making friends.
Ahhhh orientation week. That awkward week where college is treated like a summer camp and RA’s turn into camp counselors. The activities provided by the university seem just ridiculous enough to bond over. Everyone is in the same position, excited and eager for college to begin! Even though it might be scary, you meet so many people in the first week of college, some you might call your friends for the rest of college!
3. Food and sleep.
It ain't your mom’s cooking, and you certainly won’t love it. Your stomach has to adjust to the abnormal coffee:ramen:cookie diet. Residence hall food can only taste good for so long… And somehow you didn't imagine how going to sleep at 3 and waking up at 8 could go wrong... it's the first week of four years? Good luck not falling asleep in your Monday classes.
4. Free time.
Last semester you were in high school, and had to be there from 8am to 3pm, five days a week (OR ELSE). Now? Most likely you created your own schedule. Only having two to four classes a day leaves you the majority of the day to be independent. The struggle? You decide what to do with that time. Lunch and naps? Or homework and studying?
5. Homesickness.
Call mom as much as you want. Cry once (or 15 times) if needed. Late night phone calls with your best friends will keep you stable. Your BFFS and you haven't been apart a day in the summer, and after 7 days, you're ready to see them again.
6. Self-motivation.
After the first week, you're already drowning in papers, readings, and so many other assignments. You have an 8am tomorrow and the teacher doesn’t take attendance. You’re learning that it's up to you to get out of bed for class and to do your assignments, as much as sleep or going out with your friends sounds better.
7. That #BrokeCollegeLife.
Working that summer job or doing those chores have always kept you afloat in past years, but now with the purchase of books wiping out the remainder of your graduation money, you're on the same playing field as every other college kid. One week in and you are already reconsidering all those purchases at the spirit shop.
Overall, the first week of college can be intimidating to even the most excited freshmen. That being said, every freshmen knows there’s so much more in store to experience and that the next chapter in their life is just beginning! Good luck to all college freshmen this year!
