They say that returning to college after freshman year should be easier, but I found that I was not much less nervous going into my sophomore year. One of the most stressful parts thus far has been packing and unpacking, so let me walk you through my thought process as I prepared to return back to my campus.
1. Thinking about how stressed I am to pack
After being super busy all summer and finally having some free time before going back to college, packing was a problem. I was trying to relax or have some last summer fun, and the thought of packing up my entire life was a lingering thought.
2. Procrastinating
Because the thought of packing was not something I enjoyed, I tried my best to just ignore the thoughts, and obviously avoid completing the task. So, I did my best to keep myself busy so I could use that as an excuse not to pack.
3. Realizing the limited time I have to actually do it
About a week before I moved into school, I realized just how screwed I was and the limited time I had to pack up basically collect my entire life together and move. I guess procrastination was not my best idea.
4. Slowly putting things into a pile
I was proud of myself for any step I took during the packing process, so I started small. I began by just making yes, no, and maybe piles of things to bring or not bring with me.
5. Worrying about what you will wear for the days between packing and leaving
As I put my belongings in a pile, I had another realization. What was I supposed to wear during the days after packing and before leaving, and what if I needed the clothes I had packed away?
6. Going through your “maybe” pile multiple times until you can finally decide
I am very indecisive, and because of this, my maybe pile was huge. One of my final steps in packing was to sift through that pile many times until I could make a final decision about each item.
7. Stuffing everything you possibly can into suitcases and bins
Who needs organization when it is just going to be ripped out and organized into drawers regardless? My goal in packing was to fit as much as I possibly could into my suitcases and bins.
8. Packing those few last minute things you forgot, but knowing there is definitely more
I spent way too much time just sitting there knowing full well I forgot something important and trying to figure out what it is. One of the best feelings when packing is the epiphany of what you forgot, and being able to pack it, although unfortunately, this does not always happen.
9. Getting to school and realizing exactly what you forgot
For me, this year I forgot my TV and a fan — two college essentials, I know. I have realized though, that no matter what you forget, it will always be something, and that something will almost be replaceable, so not to stress too much.
