Three weeks ago my parents and I drove an hour and a half with almost all of my worldly possessions in the back of a minivan for college move in day. In the weeks and months leading up to this moment I heard so much about college from supportive friends, assorted family members, and well wishing neighbors and formed my own ideas and expectations for the new things in store. I figured it would be tough in the beginning. I thought the coursework would be much more challenging than in high school. However I had high hopes for the years ahead and as we got my side of the dorm room set up I felt more excited than nervous.
Welcome back events and tear filled phone calls filled the first week, but my moods and perception of the situation slowly improved. I fell into a routine, started going to a few club meetings, and returned to my old hobbies in my free time. College still feels new and I'm trying to figure everything out but I'm much more at home here now than I was on move in day. Balancing my school work, on the other hand, proved less challenging than I feared. Of course there is reading for many of my classes in addition to some homework assignments, but spending so much less time in lectures leaves me with plenty of time to finish it all.
I never shared a room at home, so I was looking forward to living in the dorms and meeting my roommate in person for the first time. I generally prefer the company of others to solitude, so I didn't think living around so many other people would be a challenge. However, living with strangers obviously differs from living with my family in many ways. I wanted to make good impressions and build new friendships with the people on my floor. My family, on the other hand, has seen me at my worst and I don't have to try to impress them. At first, I felt like I should spend as much time as possible with the people on my floor and make a point to be sociable. But as time went on I sometimes found myself wanting to just sit in my room and listen to music or watch TV. New friendships are certainly worthwhile, but take a lot of work and sometimes I just need a break from it all.
I was overjoyed to see my family when they visited during Labor Day weekend. We did some shopping, enjoyed going out for lunch together, and updated each other on the little things that fill our days. I wasn't completely used to college yet and was still trying to find just the right place, but I was on my way to those goals. I'm still getting used to my new home and that's OK because I know it'll become easier with time.
