It’s finally that time of year again – the beginning of a brand new school year, and the time when you can finally return to your beloved home here at Notre Dame.
However, as any upperclassman collegiette knows, the move-in process is never smooth sailing. It’s a week of packing, list-making, item-purchasing, and running last minute errands. It’s the week when you try to fit in everything that you were meaning to do all summer but never got around to completing.
For these reasons, the start of a new school year can bring about a lot of mixed emotions. The following phases are often experienced by college students as they embark on a new year at school.
Phase 1: Uncontainable Excitement
You’ve been waiting for this day pretty much since you left campus and you can’t get back to South Bend fast enough. You’ve desperately missed Saturday tailgates, late nights at Feve, and the beautiful campus views. The Fight Song is on your workout playlist, and the sound of the Alma Mater brings tears to your eyes.
You miss your friends, your dorm, and all things Notre Dame. You don’t even mind packing, because you’ll soon be unpacking back at ND. Each week that goes by means you’re one week closer to great times and fun memories at your favorite school in the entire world, and nothing can subdue your excitement!
Phase 2: Back to Reality
As move-in day quickly approaches, you begin to realize just how much packing you have to do. In fact, when did you acquire this much stuff? How did you get all of this home last semester? You start dreading the packing and move-in process almost as much as you’re dreading your mom’s reaction when all of your bags don’t fit in the car.
Phase 3: Totally Stressed Out
Begin panic mode. Your entire life’s belongings have been stuffed into boxes and bags, and you just dropped $400 on textbooks for the semester. You suddenly realize that your days will no longer be filled with Netflix marathons. Before you know it, you’ll be drowning in class work and locking yourself in the study room for hours on end…*cue total freak out*.
You’re suddenly filled with immense sadness as you realize how much you’re going to miss those days of lounging on the couch watching countless episodes of Law & Order: SVU, days when your most important decision was what to have for lunch. Even your summer job sounds appealing compared to the mountains of work you’re about to take on.
Phase 4: Settled Back In and Ready to Begin
Once the seemingly never-ending move-in process is finally complete, and you begin to settle back into your ND home, you feel that uncontainable excitement once again. You’re back on the campus you love with the people who fill your life with good times and unforgettable memories, and you couldn’t possibly be happier.
Have a great year, collegiettes!
The HCND application is now open! For more information contact Rebecca Rogalski at rebeccarogalski@hercampus.com or Katrina Linden at katrinalinden@hercampus.com
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