Sadly, this year is coming to a close. And with that comes the end of my very first year in college. Freshman year was full was ups and downs and was no doubt the best learning experience I have ever had. Even though I’m excited to start a new year, there are so many things that I’m going to miss about freshman year.
1. A maized and confused welcome week
This week was probably the most insane week of my life. Not insane like “omg I partied so hard,” but insane like what the hell is going on. I walked around aimlessly looking for the closest frat house or the sound of “Closer” blasting on the speakers. I walked so much that I distinctly remember looking at my iPhone health app the next morning to see that I had walked 12 whole miles. All the people around me were new and conversations were finally transitioning from awkward to smooth. This innocence and intrigue is something that I will never undergo again, and although I will experience welcome week in a different way this upcoming year, it will never be the same.
2. Living so close to campus
If you were lucky like me, you lived on central campus (specifically West Quad best quad for me). This unbelievably convenient location allowed me to wake up at 11:15 for my 11:30 class with not a worry in my mind. I always made it on time considering it’s about a five minute walk to anywhere you would ever need to go. These extra 25 minutes of sleep next year might be the thing I will miss most.
3. SOUTH QUAD DINING
I say this in all caps because this is important. South Quad Dining Hall has (and will always have) a special place in my heart. Not only was Squad an unbelievably social location, but the food was honestly some of the best dining hall food around. Sometimes it was borderline gourmet. The fact that I will not have this magical place to spend hours at breaks my heart. Squad… I’ll miss you. Gone but never forgotten.
4. The bliss of not knowing what your future holds
Freshman year is the best year to try out those weird classes that you could possibly be interested in but could also hate. It’s the time to sample and figure out what you like because you have the whole year without having to think about declaring. When sophomore year hits, that impending declaring deadline will loom over your head like a dark shadow. At least for me it will. The freedom will absolutely be missed.
5. Excitement to make friends
This may seem like a scary thing, but I realized during freshman year that everybody is feeling the same way. Everybody wants to find their place and make those long lasting friendships, so don’t feel nervous or awkward talking to new people. I think that this feeling of excitement actually makes people more outgoing and open to all people with the chance that you click with someone and boom, you have a new friend. I’m definitely going to miss my extra outgoing self that took over at the beginning of freshman year.
Photos courtesy of Masha Chernitska and the University of Michigan.