My freshman year did not go according to plan.
My first shock came before it even started. I had spent hours on Prism constructing the perfect first semester schedule, with classes that both fit my intended major and knocked out Sophia requirements. Yes, I was that nerdy girl, but I wanted my first semester to be perfect. All of my professors had been thoroughly searched on Rate my Professor, I had a perfect balance of MWF and TR, and no 8 AMs. After one quick phone call with my advisor, and my well thought out, perfectly planned schedule was trashed. The one she created for me had zero resemblance to the one I created myself. I came to the conclusion my first-year advisor was just awful.
Call me crazy, but I had a very clear image of what my first year at SMC would look like. I bought cute new outfits for class, spent tons of time looking at dorms on Pinterest, and knew exactly what clubs I wanted to join before I even got there. I was going to meet my best friends for life moments after arriving on campus, take a gorgeous ID picture, and have my dorm completely decorated by the end of move-in day. My intended major? Political science, with a business minor. I’d never be crazy enough to do touchdown pushups. And of course I was going to keep up with all my favorite TV shows.
Those cute outfits I bought? Leggings and a sweatshirt became my uniform. My dorm looked nothing like the ones on Pinterest (which are totally unrealistic, by the way). I definitely didn’t have the time or money to join all the clubs I wanted, and who knew my favorite would end up being sailing team? I had never even seen a sailboat in person before college. The girls I said tearful good-byes to on the last day were not the ones I met on the first. Instead of looking gorgeous in my ID picture, I look like a frizzy mess, but then again, who doesn’t? Thanks to the South Bend humidity, none of my wall decorations stuck until October. My political science plans ended within a week of POSC201. When ND scores, I can’t wait to get pushed up. Keeping up with my TV shows? I barely had time to keep up with my homework. Oh, and my awful first-year advisor? She ended up being a lifesaver.
I know most freshmen don’t have their year planned out the way I did, but everyone has some college expectations. After my first year at SMC, my #1 piece of advice to new belles: expect the unexpected. Freshmen year goes by fast, and by the end, the things that once seemed important aren’t. By December, move in day will feel like ages ago. The college workload comes as a shock, and you’ll spend way more nights in Trumper than you care to admit. Your friend group will change often, and you’ll learn way more names and hometowns than you can remember. You’ll discover interests and passions you never knew you had, and find the courage to pursue them without worrying about judgement.
A lot changes during your freshman year of college. The best thing to do is embrace the change. College is full of ups and downs, and it’s not always picture perfect, but imperfections keep life interesting. Not everything can go according to plan, and that’s okay. Sometimes, the best memories are the ones you never knew you’d make.
Photos provided by Author
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