When I think back on my first year at Boston University, the one word that immediately comes to mind is “intense.” From the jump, you’re constantly on the go, thrown into an entirely different environment and expected to know — or, at least, pretend — to know what you’re doing. There are so many first experiences that create and shape the person you are by the end of your freshman year of college. I didn’t know all of this when I first stepped into my quad in August. I mean, I’m not going to lie, I cried when my mom left because I was so anxious for what was ahead. If I could talk to myself back in August (less than a year ago, which is mind-boggling), I want to believe I would be honest about what was to come: the most intense, best, confusing, exciting, nerve-wracking and formative year of my life so far.
1. The Good
The friends you’ll make and the people you’ll meet jump to the top of this list. I love Boston University because everywhere I go I see someone I know. It’s insanely comforting to know you could go out or stay in with friends, and either way, you’ll have a good time. Going out, especially in Boston, is just experience after experience because you could be doing anything from eating Italian in the North End to slumming it in Allston basements, and it’s guaranteed you’re never going to be bored. Another part of “the good” of freshman year is the person you become. You won’t realize it — it comes in bits and pieces — but you will start to see by the end of the year how much you’ve grown. For me, I feel much more self-assured and confident within my personality. Though I still have moments of self-doubt, my freshman year has taught me to believe in my capabilities and trust in myself. Last but not least, freshman year paves the way for you to find your true passion in life — the work that drives you and makes you want to get up in the morning.
2. The Bad
Though I’m much more confident now, as I mentioned before, I still have moments of self-doubt. Those will crop up a LOT your freshman year, especially first semester. You’re trying to figure out who your people are, and deciphering people’s actions along the way. You’re also bombarded with the social media of everyone from high school, and wondering why you haven’t found your best friend after a week in college like that one girl in your senior class. Let me tell you: it’s all fake. No one finds their best friend that quickly. Social media is a huge part of why people tend to think their freshman years are “lesser” because their snap stories or their Instagrams aren’t constantly updated. I’m guilty of having such insecurities, but social media truly does not mean anything. Give yourself alone time if you need some, and don’t feel like you’re inadequate if you don’t have solid plans for a weekend or two. Don’t get too caught up in how things appear freshman year: it’s cliché, but just go with every curveball life throws at you and attempt to make the best of it.
3. The Ugly
The workload. The lack of sleep. Getting sick the first time…and the second and third. And honestly, you’re going to miss your mom no matter how much you say you “don’t get homesick.” And though a lot of these things are unavoidable — or in some cases, totally, TOTALLY avoidable — you’ll see that the difficulty of freshman year is exactly why it is so amazing. You’re consistently being challenged, whether by academics, new friendships, or just trying to find an Uber ride back to your dorm. It’s an incredible experience I wouldn’t change.
It’s simply crazy to me that it’s April of my freshman year, and in a few short weeks, I leave the place that I’ve grown to call home for the past year. The only thing I can be certain of as I go is that I can’t wait for my sophomore year.