When I finished my freshman year of college almost two years ago now, I came home in May and it felt like all everyone wanted to know was if freshman year lived up to what I thought it would be like. I never really had a straight answer, because I had no expectations going in.
Of course I knew it would be hard and lonely at times, but I also knew that there would be tons of great times ahead. I went into freshman year with no agenda but to do well in classes and meet friends that I would have for a lifetime. I remember waking up that morning to move into my dorm, super sad that I was leaving my dog, family and everything that I grew up around, but I knew that it was all for a reason. I took the leap and went away to school (which I recommend to everyone) and yeah, I was nervous at first like everyone usually is. You actually have to grow up, fend for yourself, do laundry and do well in classes. All that sounds easy, but when you mix it with stress from bad professors, meeting new people and learning about a whole new town, it can get pretty crazy.
So, I moved into my freshman year dorm with seven other girls in my suite and realized that this was pretty much my life for the next however many months. After my parents left, I remember sitting on my dorm bed wondering “well, what now” because I realized living in a tiny bedroom, with one bathroom, campus food and no car would become my new reality. I know that I might be making it sound a bit terrible but trust me it gets better. The first day of classes came around and naturally, I showed up super early. So I called my mom to waste some time. She wished me luck because she could hear my nervousness through the phone and I went on for my first full day of college. It was terrifying to say the least, but I knew me, and I knew that within a couple of weeks it would all feel like normal. And it did. I made great friends, studied hard and as expected, gained weight. I was living normal college life, but I noticed that I was so lonely time to time. Specifically, the type of loneliness where I felt so alone even though I was surrounded by people all day. It was the strangest feeling ever, and I didn't enjoy it, so it made me start thinking about home more and more.
By December I was already considering transferring and heading back home. So, I looked at schools, applied and waited around until I figured out what I wanted to do. Months went by, and suddenly it was April. Time seriously flew by and I couldn't believe it. I forgot about the applications all together until my mom called me one day to tell me that I had been accepted to a few that I applied to. I was happy, but it caused me to make a hard decision on if I wanted to leave my college. By this time, I was having more fun every day, whether that be in class or on the weekends. I started to become closer to my friends, and slowly I started to the notice that I was beginning to love my school. The people, the environment, everything I was just in love with. I couldn't believe it, because a few months ago literally I wanted to pack my bags and leave right away. Yeah, it was far from home, the food was iffy and the village was tiny, but it just began to feel like home to me. I actually was devastated when I moved out of my freshman dorm, tearing up when I was saying my goodbyes and started counting down the days until I was back.
As you can guess, I never transferred, and I'm currently going into my junior year. It took me eight months to realized that I loved my college, and that I couldn't picture myself anywhere else. Time is a funny thing in the way it works, because when I look back, time was all I needed. College is scary, your freshman year even scarier, but when you're sitting in your dorm like I was, missing home like crazy and wondering if you want to stay, I highly recommend you wait it out. You never know what can happen in two days or two months, because time can heal and change everything.
