The mere idea of starting college is beyond intimidating -- there are new people, harder classes, and an independent lifestyle that is foreign to you before starting college. It's easy to feel completely overwhelmed with all these new obstacles you're being faced with; I'm still experiencing most of that excitement and intimidation now. But, I've been told by many to fight through these worries with the mindset that these are going to be some of the best days of my life.
Moving into college is a day-long experience but mine felt more like a month. It's extremely busy, a little sad, and intensely exciting. Over this unspecified and extended amount of time, I learned a few things about the college experience.
First things first: be careful not to overpack. It's very easy to do this, but you'll be stuck with two full cars to unpack and little space to put everything in your humble dorm room. You'd be surprised about how little you actually need on a day-to-day basis. Just remember to bring the necessities, and anything irreplaceable can always be bought once you realize you actually need it.
Don't overpack, but do bring a little piece of home -- anything from family photographs to a high school memory piece will do. Having a token of a familiar part of your life around you while everything else seems unfamiliar is very comforting. And, having something like that around may even help remind you to stay in touch with your family and friends back home, which is very important.
College is a time to be open-minded. This applies to different classes, extracurriculars, new people, and experiences in general. Explore the area, try new food, take a class you know nothing about, make friends with someone you see on the elevator. You are only going to be this young once. It is so important to grow as a person during your time in college, and this will be most effective if you maintain an open mind throughout.
Be patient with your family members, especially on move-in day. It's hard for them to watch someone, who they worked tirelessly to see thrive, finally become independent enough to live on their own without any help from a parent. Let them help you unpack, take pictures with you, and take you to lunch before they leave you to be on your own. They have done everything for you for the past 18 years, and although you may be excited to finally live away from their rules and reprimanding, you will eventually realize how big of a role they have in your life and how much you need them.
Most importantly, live in the moment. Yes, move-in day did feel like a month long, but at the same time, it also felt like it flew by in an instant. If these really are going to be the best days of our lives, we better savor every millisecond of it. Breathe in, taste, and devour each moment of your college experience -- these may be some of the best days of your lives, and you have a lot of them ahead of you.
