With classes finally over, I can proudly say that I made it through my first semester of college. All I have to do now is make it through finals week. So the worst, in fact, really is over -- I hope.
About three or four months ago, I moved into my tiny dorm room at Marist, met my roommate, and started my life as a new independent adult. I made friends and lost some, found my major, experienced the lowest my bank account has ever gotten, and learned the true meaning of homesickness and parental appreciation.
This first semester was difficult. I'd never been away from home for more than two weeks without seeing my family until now, and that was a challenging concept to accept. Within the first two weeks, I asked my parents if I could go home for a weekend, and they said no. For my 18th birthday, they came up for dinner with my roommate and I, which was one of the best dinners I've ever had. The following weekend, they brought up my grandfather, and the four of us went to dinner again. The weekend after was Parent's Weekend, and for the next two weekends I went home. Needless to say, for a while, my homesickness was cured. But after not being able to go home for a while, I felt it creep back. I started to really appreciate them and how much they've done for me -- laundry, cooking, chores, etc. Now that I'm home, I'm so grateful that I get to see them every day.
My classes weren't incredibly difficult this semester, which is both a negative and a positive. It's positive because it was an easier adjustment to college life, but also a negative since now my next semester is going to be chock-full of more challenging classes. But hey, I never back down from a challenge.
I survived registration, which was a bear unto itself that I refuse to talk about. I will say this: make sure you have more backup class options than you think you need, because I assure you that your classes will fill up without you knowing, and you'll either have to find a new class or get an override form.
Friends come and go, and sometimes you don't know why. All you can do is branch out and find new friends, and life goes on. I found that out the hard way, but I'm surviving, just like I always do. I've got my band friends and they accept me for who I am, and hopefully I'll find more friends in my new classes.
I wasn't able to do everything that I had hoped I would do. I wanted to partake in MCCTA more than I did, but since I was incredibly busy with homework and working at the Marist Poll, I wasn't able to do any shows. Next semester, though, I'll branch out.
Hopefully next semester will be much more enjoyable. Hopefully I get into Tau Beta Sigma, an honorary band sorority. Hopefully I will make new friends and keep them, and hopefully I continue to keep in touch with my friends back home and stay with my friends here.
To the Fall 2016 semester, I bid thee adieu. To the Spring 2017 semester, I can't wait to start.
