Going through recruitment my freshman year there were a few phrases that I heard more than once, “Greek life is fun,” “trust the process” and “you’re going to find your home.” The phrase I heard the most, however, and the one that has stuck with me was "freshman year is undoubtedly the best year of your life." No matter what house I was in, every girl thought the same thing. Every girl told me that she wished that she was in my shoes, and was able to do her freshman year all over again. At that moment, I did not understand why all of these beautiful girls smiling at all their friends/sisters would want to be me. I didn't know anyone yet. I couldn't even remember my dorm room number.
Being a freshman at the University of Arizona was unlike anything I could have ever imagined, better than anything I could have imagined. But as the year came to an end, I was excited to become a sophomore and not survive off of Panda Express, the Park Student Union sandwiches and live in a loud dorm that got me sick practically every other week.
Now over half way through my sophomore year, it is those things I miss the most. I miss being shoved into a 10-20 square foot closet that Coronado tries to pass off as a dorm room, I miss running into everyone-and-their-mother in the elevator and on the way to class, and I miss the convenience of running downstairs to hang out with my best friends and all the cute frat boys. Hell, I even miss yelling at the boys who lived across from me to stop blasting music at 3 a.m. on a Wednesday.
Sophomore year has its perks, don't get me wrong. My friends and I live in homes and apartments or our sorority houses, we are finally in classes that interest us, and we know our way around more. This year I learned about hikes and restaurants and places to go that I didn’t know of as a freshman and this year I have a car to make those things happen. This year I have a solid group of friends, ones to go to Spring Break and Coachella with me and this year I'm not wearing my letters on my shirt, shorts, and hat every single day. I don't know why I ever thought that was socially acceptable.
At this school, every year is amazing. How could it not be? But nothing beats the excitement of being a freshman. I mean the best part about being in your first year is knowing you're lucky enough to still have three more to go. The worst part about being a sophomore and not a freshman anymore is that I’m getting closer and closer to graduation and I never want to leave this perfect place we call the University of Arizona.
