Today I realized that I moved into my freshman dorm at Clarkson University exactly three years ago. I remember the day like it was yesterday. My dad’s pickup truck packed to the brim with everything I thought was completely necessary, and a belly full of nerves. I distinctly remember half way through the drive to school I wondered to myself how bad it would hurt if I just opened the door of the truck and fell out. Despite the overwhelming feeling of Holy Sh*t, there were moments of excitement (no matter how small). I remember getting to my room and my mom crying because my freshman dorm was, for lack of better words, sub-par. I also remember her attempting to completely sanitize it with one box of Clorox wipes. After my parents dropped me off I was dragged through the traditional orientation events, campus tour, Title IX etc. with every other freshman. I remember trying to occupy myself throughout orientation by (as horrible as it sounds) stereotyping the hell out of people. On the left, you had the boys who definitely knew that they wanted to become party boys. They sported Nike socks, Adidas slides and the ever so subtle smell of alcohol. And then on my right were the soccer girls who had moved into school weeks prior and had already managed to form a friend group and obtain a boyfriend(s). Meanwhile, I was sitting in the middle of it all; friendless, and for all intents and purposes, hopeless. I’m not going to lie; I had a pretty horrible first semester. Things were just really bad. I remember thinking to myself that if school is going to remain like this; it’s going to be a very long four years. But somehow along the way, I don’t know if I should credit it to God’s Will or the Clarkson University Activities Fair in Cheel Arena, things got better.

I remember things started turning around as soon as a pledged my sorority Delta Zeta (shout out to my Xi Rho ladies). In all actuality, I owe this house my achievements at Clarkson because, without them, I’d probably be living in New Dorms with a rando for a roommate with no Extra Curriculars to fill my time. DZ pulled me out of the trenches of the Quad and catapulted me into student government, political activism clubs on campus, leadership roles among the administration, work study jobs (that weren’t washing dishes in RoBro) etc.

After freshman year ended, things starting picking up at an unbelievable speed. It was yesterday that I was refusing to eat because I didn’t know how my meal plan worked and I was too scared to ask anyone for help and now, I’m sitting in my personal office within the Student Government office (of which I share with my fraternity brother)(Sigma Chi ‘till I die) writing this article.

If I could go back and slap little Freshman Genevieve in the face and tell her a couple things they would be:

Get to know the Greeks on Campus.

Don’t force friendships with people you think you want to be like; it’s not worth it.

Become pals with your academic advisor; they can help you with things other than homework.

Join Outing Club, Potsdam is kind of pretty and this club will help you realize that.

Enjoy it. Because in the blink of an eye, you’ll be a senior with only one year left.