Coming back to school as a Sophomore this past week has been a complete whirlwind of emotions. Between the excitement of seeing friends, the melancholy of missing friends back home, and the nervousness towards new classes and a new semester, I’ve been running through emotions as fast as I can comprehend the last. I love being back, and despite these mixed emotions, I have incredibly high hopes for this semester.

Leaving home was hard, for sure. This summer, I made some really great friends that I miss dearly. I’m so thankful for everything they’ve done for me over the course of the summer and it’s going to be really weird not seeing them every single day. There’s also my boyfriend. He’s now almost an hour away, which isn’t unbearable, but it makes things a little more difficult. Either way, we’ve done this before and I know that we’ll be able to do it again. On the other hand, there’s my family. I probably didn’t hang out with them nearly as much as I should have this summer, and that I do regret. I miss being able to see them on a whim, but I know I can always go home and hang out with them whenever.

As soon as I got to school, the excitement set in. Move-in day was a day full of joy, finding my new room and reuniting with some of my best friends and my roommates. I decorated the room that will now be my home for the next eight to nine months and talked with my roommates as fast as I could, ready to share about our summers and tell each other everything. It was so nice and so cathartic, and it’s only gotten better since then.

Classes have now begun, and I’m through my first week. I’ve seen all my friends that I made last year from classes, and I’ve begun to make new friends and get more involved whenever I can. I’ve taken on a lot this semester, which makes me nervous, but I know it’s something I’ll be able to handle. I have a great support system both at home and at school and I know that with everyone who is behind me, I will be able to make it through anything. The possibilities for this new semester and new school year are endless, and I’m so excited to see how they pan out.

Like I said, the first week back has been an absolute whirlwind. I’ve already had my fair share of ups and downs, and I know there will be plenty more throughout the course of the semester. I’m so thankful for all the love and support I have at Clark and at home. I’m also grateful to go to a school that affords me the opportunity to get involved in so many different ways and meet so many different and wonderful people during my journey. Sophomore year is definitely something that won’t be easy, but I’m looking forward to the journey and I’m excited for everything that is yet to come.