It's been about a month since I started college and I've met inspiring people and had wonderful experiences. Being hit by a tsunami of change can be nerve-wrecking, so I wrote out a few lessons I've learned. Enjoy!
1. Cliff-dive out of your comfort zones:
Words cannot express how exhilarating this can be. In just a few weeks, I belted out my favorite Little Mermaid tunes for a Disney acapella audition, tried out for a Bollywood fusion dance team, learned to twerk, talked in Spanish with native speakers, and heck, I even went to the gym. Though there were several moments in which my stomach squirmed at the thought of the palpable presence of my inexperience, it was so liberating. Sure, I felt judged and watched, but in that state of discomfort, I learned to cheer myself on. The truth is, NOBODY knows you in college, go try something new. Surprise yourself!
2. Document everything
The amount of new experiences jammed into one month is ENORMOUS. For me, literally, every part of my daily life transformed -- from my room, to friends, to food. Thus, I found lots of meaning in making a one-second-a-day video; charting the perils of living on the 4th floor of a dorm hall, chronicling mindless adventures around Boston, and capturing the cozy midnight tea-drinking gatherings with friends. I’ll look back at the video when I’m a stressed-out senior and fill myself up in a soup of warm nostalgia.
3. Every person has a story.
As a person who comes from an extremely small high school, my first college shock was its enormous size. In a trivial pursuit of trying to get to know everyone, I mistakenly valued the quantity of friends more than the quality of my friendships- quickly making assumptions of every person I met, based on where they were from or what their potential major would be. My conversations felt superficial, but I was determined to meet as many new people as possible. But on the last night of the college pre-orientation, my group cuddled up in blankets in the middle of the academic quad, peered into the glittering sky (oddly, a delightful treat for those of us who come from New Delhi), and shared our life stories. My classmates poured their hearts and shared their deepest insecurities. We were left with minutes of pensive silence, moments of cathartic chuckles, and a fuzzy feeling that warmed us through the shiveringly cold night. I quickly learned that I could no longer simply make superficial assumptions -- people were PEOPLE. And it is my honor to listen.
4) Group chats are intense
You’ll be added to group chats with 60 other people. Perhaps you’ll know that one kid from orientation, that other kid in your spanish class, maybe a few from your dorm, but the rest -- who knows? The point is, it’s a great way to interact with your classmates, and to gradually find your niches. Eventually, several other chats get made- ones dedicated to your tea-drinking friends, those catering to your study groups, those targeted for birthday surprises, and galore. It’s intense -- but ah, how lovely social media can be!
5. Keep in touch with your family
Ugh, this is something I’m still struggling with. Personally, my parents live on the opposite side of the world. With a 9.5 hour time difference, skyping/facetiming/video calling is insanely hard to coordinate -- but even if you aren’t feeling particularly homesick, just remember how much your family must miss you. The first time I Skyped my family after moving in, I distinctly remember my grandmother’s eyes lighting up when she saw me on the phone screen. Her voice energized as she asked me a zillion questions about my food habits, sleeping habits, friends, classes etc etc. I eagerly responded to all of her questions -- I mean, there aren’t a lot of people that will listen to you complain, rant and talk for hours and still love you. I sound preachy, but they care and miss us loads, and we should drop in a line from time to time.
6. Sleep matters
My roommate can vouch for this. For the first few weeks, I barely saw her awake. One night, I stayed up auditioning for a dance team from 10pm-12am, to which I woke up with incredibly sore legs, and a pile of reading to finish before a morning class. Never had I ever felt more miserable. College lends itself to new sleep schedules- naps on the lawn, naps in the dorm, naps everywhere. Be creative!
7. Ask ask ask ask ask
College works like a network -- if you have a question, there’s at least five upperclassmen who are willing to help out or at least point you in the right direction. How do you rent a microfridge? What do I do if I miss a class? Where can I get authentic Thai food? When are midterms? Where am I? So many people have helped me in my first month, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
8. Start making a bucket list
I did this in my freshman year in high school, and nothing felt more gratifying than accomplishing the list by senior year. Everything from watching a sunrise on the library rooftop, to taking a nap in the library, to befriending the professor that made you choose the college you attend -- all are token goals that can be exciting to work toward.
9. Learn to be alone
I still struggle with this too -- but honestly, unlike high school, nobody cares if you sit alone. The first time I sat alone in the cafeteria, I feared people would judge me, but quite the opposite happened. I sat, I reflected on my first weeks of college, and chose to write an article about it. What an introspective experience.
I'm so excited to see what the next four years hold for me, judging on the mere month of experiences I've had thus far. Looking forward to moments of inspiration, happiness and wonder!
