As a second-semester college freshman, I know I don't have everything figured out and I've learned to accept that. However, I wanted to write this article for all of the high school seniors that are anxiously awaiting their graduation yet terrified for the upcoming fall. That was me 110 percent. I was so scared and excited for college. More so scared even if it didn't always seem that way. Now I can't wait to see what the next three years hold.
Throughout the course of my first semester, there were definitely plenty of ups and downs. The year started off with millions of unanswered questions. Should I join the Mock Trial team because that would help me decide if I actually wanted to go to law school? Should I join the rowing team? Am I ready to end my rowing career after 2.5 years? Could I do both? But what about time to do volunteer work? Should I even entertain the thought of rushing? If you think it's weird that you're worried about something, trust me I was probably worried about that too (ex: where do I put my trash when I have to take it out?).
I knew I wasn't going to be able to do everything that I wanted to, but I could at least try, right? One conversation, two informational meetings, and three days post move-in I had the majority of my most pressing questions answered. With both rowing and mock trial demanding twenty hours of work a week and travel in the spring there was no way I was going to be able to do both. So which one do I pick? During the summer I had my heart set on joining the mock trial team. Everything changed when I went to the informational meeting for the rowing team. Watching all of the varsity girls together made my heart ache for the team I had just left behind. I decided that I had to join the team.
The following month was pretty much just a giant blur. From then on everything started to fall into place. Sometimes I feel like rowing is the only thing that I talk about and it very well may be. My life revolves around my team. If we aren't at practice then we are at a basketball game, at study tables, watching movies, or having our weekly post-Saturday practice brunch together and I love every minute of it.
That being said I in no way expected this to be how my first semester would go. No matter how stressful moving into college may be, how many times you cry because you miss your family, or how many times you embarrass yourself by wiping out on the stairs, it is worth it. You will meet some of the most fantastic people. After just a few short months you will wonder how you ever lived without them. You will overcome situations you never thought possible. If you ever question whether or not you should join a club/organization/team/greek life just try it out! You're allowed to quit if it becomes too much. Before you know it you may even be less than 90 days away from competing at the Atlantic 10 Rowing Championships. That's crazy, right? Who would have thought that was going to happen? Not me, that's for sure.
It's not going to be perfect. It's not going to be rainbows and butterflies all of the time. You are still going to stress out because you don't know what to do or how to get to one of your classes. You are going to feel weird not waking up in the morning to your dog running around downstairs, but after a while it starts to feel like home. Everything will happen the way it's supposed to. You just need to breathe. You can do it.
