Nostalgia has officially kicked in.
I can’t believe our first year at Duke is coming to a close. Classes have officially ended, we had our first LDOC experience, and now it’s time to buckle down and take final exams. My mom just called me about plans for packing up the car in a few days… wait, what? Where has the time gone??
It seems like everywhere I turn, people are reflecting on their freshman year at Duke. Almost every conversation I’ve had lately with friends revolves around so many memories and the not-so-many regrets, what we are going to miss the most, what we have learned about the college life, and, most importantly, what we have learned about ourselves.
Take a deep breath. And revel in the fact that we have survived our first year of college!
This year has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride for me. I’m guessing I’m not the only one who has experienced some spirals, triple loops, and upside turns that could make your stomach drop. Now that the ride is starting to slow down and it’s about time for us to take off our seat belts before we head on to the next one, everything just tastes a little bittersweet. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to miss a lot about being a freshman. Especially those things I said I will never miss. I’m going to miss all those dinners I complained about at the Marketplace. I’m going to miss missing the bus. I’m going to miss relying on upperclassmen for the in’s and out’s and the do’s and don’ts. I’m going to miss constantly being surrounded by my fellow classmates who were trying to figure it all out too. I’m going to miss walking around East Campus every day. And, I’m going to miss experiencing all things Duke for the first time.
In my first year of college, I learned where my favorite study spots are, the best place to get lunch, how to finally write an A-worthy paper, what it’s like to be a Cameron Crazie, and how much I absolutely love Duke. But, I also learned how to handle vulnerability, endless amounts of homework, demanding schedules, and living day-to-day life on my own. I don’t know about you, but I grew up a lot this past year and I’m excited to see what the next three years at Duke will hold. Now that we’ve been here a whole year, it seems easier to design our next plan of action for sophomore year and get a tangible peek into our bright futures.
We’ve all had our ups and downs, highs and lows, the moments where we felt on top of the world and capable of anything, and we’ve also had the moments where all we wanted to do was crawl into bed and eat our weight in Ben and Jerry’s. Looking back, I don’t think I would change any of it. However, I’m also ready to move on. I think we all are. But, we’re bringing a year’s worth of memories with us, new friendships and relationships, and, more than anything, a new perspective. It’s been real. Stay classy Class of 2015, and I’ll see you next year.
Image Sources:
http://images.travelpod.com/users/modernnomad67/5.1219422480.duke-university—east-campus.jpg
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150544278939542&set=t.1348293094&type=3&theater
http:// admissions.duke.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/4x6_MG_9635.jpg