Two hundred fifty-seven days, 6,168 hours, 370,080 minutes, 22,204,800 seconds. My freshman year of college went by in the blink of an eye. People always say college will fly by, but I never really believed it until I look back on my year now. Move-in day was nerve-racking and exciting at the same time. A new chapter of my life was beginning, and I really didn't know what to expect. Over the course of the first semester, I met so many new people, became adjusted to college life, and realized that I made the right decision when I chose my university back in April of my senior year of high school.
The adjustment to college life can be hard for some people. For me, it wasn't too difficult since I had lived in a college setting two times before. I had already been used to the "dorm lifestyle" and living in a smaller space. Once you make your dorm room feel like a home, it feels comfortable living there. One thing I didn't expect to like was the corridor-style living. I didn't realize how everyone on the floor would be like a little community, and by the end of the year, you'd know everyone by name and some of your close friends would be a part of that group.
As I start to have some "writer's block" while working on this article, I realized how the assignments and class structure are both similar and different to my high school experience. One thing you have to be comfortable with doing at college is writing papers. I went from writing about four throughout a year in high school to writing 10 to 14 throughout the course of a year at college. For science majors, the dreaded lab reports fall into the "paper" category because they end up being eight to ten pages long. It's important not to get discouraged when you can't figure out what to write. Once you have sources and an idea, it's extremely easy to go with the flow and finish the assignment.
Looking back on the year, I am extremely grateful for all the friends I had the opportunity to meet and spend time with. While some did part ways to go on a different path, or to study abroad in London, we all keep in contact and will continue to see each other because at college, your friends are your family. Before arriving at college, I was nervous on how I was going to make close friends. I knew two people going to the same school, but I didn't realize how quickly it would be to befriend someone. I look forward to spending some of the next few years with these great people and sharing some wonderful, crazy memories together. While scrolling through Facebook, I saw a nice quote that described exactly how friends interact with each other. "The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart." Some of the friends you make in college are going to be your friends for life, so get used to seeing their faces all the time.
My first year at Western New England was no doubt exciting, stressful, challenging, and cold! After finishing your first semester, you kind of get the hang of how to manage your time and strive to do your best educationally and socially. College can be hard, but it's the first time you get to live independently, meaning it's a huge learning experience for each person individually. It's important to avoid procrastination, make close friends with the right people, and maybe even step out of your comfort zone. I am so happy I got to spend this past year at what I now consider my "home away from home." With the first year completed, I can't wait to see what the future holds.
