One minute life is good. You’ve decided what to do in life, and to change your major. Next thing you know, you’re headed to school, but 45 minutes away when you live 10 minutes from campus. You’ve made many friends that you associate with the idea of college, but none of them will be there. You don’t know where to look for parking spaces, food, or the other necessities of college. All you do know is, you’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto. You’re at UNG Gainesville.
Feeling lost.
When you are sentenced to UNG Gainesville you feel lost. Mentally, you feel you’ve made a mistake. You’re in a new place that is not better. Second guessing your decisions becomes regular practice. Why did I sign up for this? Why would I demote myself from the main campus? Will I ever find more friends? What if I decide I don’t like the classes? Then what?
Not only do you feel lost mentally, but also physically. First of all, why the heck is UNG Gainesville in Oakwood? Either put it in Gainesville, or call it UNG Oakwood! And from there, it is the fact of learning a new campus. I’d lived in Dahlonega my whole life, and taken at least two field trips in which we toured the campus, and then toured again in orientation. I went there for a year and a half, and even helped give tours in orientation, so it’s safe to say I was comfortable with the area. There are orientations for students new to college, transfer students, and international students, but to my knowledge, if you decide to change campuses within a university, you’re on your own. So I find myself, Monday morning, class scheduled for 9 a.m. -- I’m on my own.
Feeling confused.
I found my class, and all was right in the world. But although I knew the location of my other class, I had a four and a half hour break and what I didn’t know is what to do with it. I’d done everything there is to do between classes in Dahlonega, but what do people do at UNG Gainesville? How do you get involved on a campus of commuters? What do these people do? Does the school close at some time? Do anyone here have a passion? Purpose? School pride? Goals? A friend brought something to my attention one day. “Look at everyone. Just look around at them. It’s like the "Walking Dead" around here; everyone looks like a zombie or something. No expressions or feelings.” He was right. Unfortunately, I am still confused about the people, here. The people in my classes seem fine; some have dreams, goals, and interests. Some are involved on campus. But for the most part, I am still confused.
Feeling questioned.
If you do ever get around to talking to people, try explaining why you are going there. “Well I went to the Dahlonega campus before.” Before you know it, they think you are dumb. Either you decided you couldn’t handle it, or the University decided you couldn’t handle it and kicked you out -- but the nice kind of kick you out where they let you go there still, just at a different campus. Then you have to explain that you changed your major, and they don’t have it on the main campus. You both stand there and think how dumb it is to not have such a large major on the main campus. You explain that Dahlonega is running out of room, and describe a Mrs. Roberta who owns the town. After you get all that out, it is time for them to go to class or home, and you still have three hours until your class.
Feeling important.
Luckily, in the semester of indecision, you managed to take out the remaining core classes. If you’re going to the Gainesville campus and majoring in journalism or another communication degree, this is a bonus. It means that you never have to enter any of the other buildings on campus. UNG Gainesville is one really nice building, five stories tall and state of the art, a student center equally as nice, and then a really big and really old high school, taken apart and dropped into a circle around the student center. The library seems like it belongs in a middle school, but I’ve never been in there so I wouldn’t know for sure. But knowing that you never have to go in those buildings, sit in those classes, listen to those teachers and learn with those students not good enough to be at the main campus makes one feel very important. But notice the “feel.” Honestly, you are no better than them, or worse than those still on the main campus. Everyone has different circumstances that put them where they are and seldom are they what is originally assumed. Those teachers are possibly better, but came along later or were doing something better before now. Remember, these are the feelings of leaving the main campus, not the facts.
Feeling excited.
Once feeling important allows you to feel humbled, you can begin to see what the campus really is. Although possibly not what you are used to, all campuses at all colleges are the same in one way: they are what you make them. There are great people and great opportunities there, even if they are hiding. You start taking those major classes and realize that you chose that job they always told you to, the one where you don’t ever have to work. There are still intramural sports, and they even have a radio station. What they lack in bagels they have in pizza and yes, the all-important ping pong tables. Surrounded by people who are headed where you are and professors who have been there and know what it’s like, you get a glimpse of your future and all that could be and you are pleased again. And while you wish this could have happened at your home campus, you are a college student, which means you also wish it could have happened without ever getting out of bed.
