Dear younger me:
Wow. So you’re a sophomore and still feel like a freshman.
Yes, that is completely normal. I think. Anyway, life seems to be flying past, and your first year abroad is already a somewhat distant memory (although the pâtisseries never stray too far from your mind, if we’re being honest).
The friends you’ve made in freshman year are spread far and wide across the country and you’re really uncertain if they’ll stay friends with you. Will they even want to? I mean, you’re kind of a potato. The answer to this is simple: yes. But also no.
Okay, maybe not so simple. Friendships are complex and also wonderful and also very stressful if you’re not around the right people. Maybe you just need to have patience (which you possess in large quantities, obviously) and trust that the people you care about will continue to want your (delightfully idiosyncratic) company.
Also: friendships take time. They always do. They might not even surface for another year. That is okay. In the meantime, stare at the ceiling and contemplate your lonely existence without completely giving into the abyss of wretched and depressing thoughts.
Your professors are going to be very enthusiastic about what they do (exploring swamps and trekking through caves to discover new species of termites, or traveling to countries where “smog” is actually weather).
You are going to be less enthusiastic about what they do. This is fine. You are not destined to study swamps and cultivate your own Lyme disease.
Grin and bear it, because spring semester you’ll be wielding the sharpest knife you’ve ever possessed and trying to avoid wearing the chef’s coat of shame (but secretly wishing you had the gumption to forget your coat, just so you could wear the red one).
The purple food truck serving halal mystery meat is definitely the best deal around Washington Square. You’ll be smelling like halal mystery meat for the rest of the day, though, so plan accordingly.
Fire drills are going to become the bane of your existence, especially since you have the circadian rhythms of an 80-year-old. Shower before 9 PM, and you’ll probably be fine. Except for the one time you’re not, and you get a very stern talking to, despite the fact that you have a towel on your head and have walked down fifteen flights of stairs in your pajamas. Just imagine kicking the guy in the shins. It really does make you feel better.
Poke bowls are going to be huge, so go as soon as possible because they’re actually worth the hype, and are delicious. Speaking of eating, you’re never going to eat at the same restaurant twice, and it’s going to be awesome. Except for when it’s not. But still, it’s all part of the college experience, right?
Partying in New York is going to remain as mysterious as the halal meat. Sometimes it seems like everyone does it. This is not true. A lot of people are potatoes, just like you! The real adventure begins when you can have a good time (during daylight hours) with great company. Don’t freak out if it doesn’t happen right away (even though you will definitely freak out regardless) because it will.
Patience, young grasshopper.
Finally: good gluten-free pizza does exist. It does! And trying to find it is sometimes a failure of epic proportions, but persevere and you’ll eventually find the most amazing pizza at Pie By The Pound. (Yeah, this is certainly a not-so-subtle encouragement.)
Next year, you’ll be a junior. And you’ll still feel like a freshman – occasionally terrified, sometimes lonely, and usually hungry. (Pro tip: eat between classes!)
Guess what? It’s okay. Life goes on (until it doesn’t), so take everything in stride and try to actually enjoy yourself every once in a while. Remember: you’re pretty nifty. Now go find people who can appreciate it.
Love & hedgehogs,
Katie
