As a current sophomore at Ohio Wesleyan University, the sting of homesickness that was the beginning of freshman year is still fresh in my mind. Even though I had a relatively easy college transition compared to others I've heard about, it still took quite a bit of time and awkwardness to feel truly at home on campus. I wanted to make an article to reassure those that may be as nervous as I was toward the beginning of my freshman year. You will find your people, they're likely to be hiding out somewhere on campus. You just have to be patient and keep trying new things that interest you. This weird time period where you're still figuring out where you fit into the campus community will, eventually, end.
As a returning student this year, I have my campus hangouts pretty much figured out. Likely, some freshman already do too, but don't worry if you don't. I thought I would have the exact same friends and hang out in all the same places as I did the first few weeks as a freshman, but that's not exactly the case. College is not high school. It's not pre-planned lunch tables that never change. It's not finding a clique to spend all of your time with. Its not picking a single activity to do and focusing on only that for the next four years. It's trying new things, constantly meeting new people, and hanging out with essentially whoever you want.
People will change. Everyone is learning and developing at such a fast pace that this is bound to happen. People will grow apart and come back together. They'll change their habits. They'll reprioritize. They'll get busy for an entire month, then have all the time in the world for a week. Don't let this faze or discourage you. Part of college is being adaptable, learning to feel at home in many places and groups of people, learning how to improvise when nothing goes as planned. Likely, these things will be happening to you too and others will have to adapt around you.
Regardless of all of this change and bustle, you need to find a foundation of support on campus that serves as your home base when you can't find your footing. Consistency within the whirlwind. Once you find this, you've found your on campus home.
For me, I see home in my roommates. When I walk into our dorm after a long, hard day, it's certainly not the bunk beds or the lack of air conditioned air that give me that warm and fuzzy at-home feeling (although it is certainly warm in there at this time of year). It's my three roommates, who never fail to tell stories that make me laugh, listen to my ranting when I’m upset, or complain with me about how stressed and tired we constantly are. We keep each other (somewhat) sane throughout the ups and downs of college. Our room is my home away from home.
I feel at home in my sorority. When I walk into the Delta Zeta house, it's certainly not the kitchen, dining room, or chapter room themselves that make me feel safe (although the house is an adorable plus). It's my sisters, a group of hard working, dedicated and passionate young women, who have decided to focus on building each other up instead of tearing each other down. We insist upon supporting and encouraging each other instead of competing against one another, which makes our bond so incredibly important and dear to me. I know that I can be myself around my sisters without fear of judgment, that I can embarrass myself around them and still be accepted. Spending time with my sisters is a huge part of my home on campus.
I am at home with my fellow Theater and Dance majors. The other dancers in the department are the only ones that truly understand the weird joint cracking and constant soreness that is everywhere on my body, pretty much all of the time. Both the Theater and Dance people accept my weirdness, my awkward humor, and my strange obsessions. The Theater group even has a pseudo family tree, which somehow snakes itself into almost every conversation that occurs in the theater lobby. We’re all involved in a bunch of the same productions and, while working together artistically can be stressful, it also forms a strong connection between us. I am so glad to have these people be a part of my college home.
At the end of the day, just be yourself and don't stress too much. The people that you call home on campus might be in your life now, or they might not have found their way to you yet. Either is okay. I promise that you will find your people if you just stay open to change and ready for anything. You might find a sense of home where you least expect it!
