A few short days. That’s all that’s left of my freshman year at Boston University.
It was a year full of firsts: First hockey season, first midterm week. And it was a year that couldn’t have been any more special. I learned a lot about Boston and even more about myself. I’m coming to terms with the end, so it’s time to look back through the highlight reel for the year!
June – August
These months were before school even started, but they still hold some memorable moments.
June marked orientation, the first official introduction to BU for incoming freshmen. Even though the people I spent those two days with didn’t become my BFFs, they showed me how easy it was to make friends when you really try, especially in an environment where everyone is in the same boat.
August was move-in season, and I finally got to decorate my room and create my own little space. My room in Sleeper Hall was definitely my place for reprieve.
September
This marks my very first day of college! Matriculation the day before was a new and exciting experience, as I was fully inducted into the school as a student. It made everything so official and, for lack of a better word, made it feel real.
Another thing that made it even more real was my first time succumbing to the infamous college sickness and having to trial and error different medications all by myself… would not recommend.
October
A lot happened in October.
First, it was the start of the hockey season. I’d never been a big fan of sports before, especially back home where the emphasis remains on football.
I’d never seen or been to a hockey game, except for my friend’s club team. But I found it to be so exciting! When I came home from winter break, I showed my family pictures and told them all about it. My dad then started asking me if I wanted to watch whatever game was on, as I think he was excited that I finally wanted to watch a sport.
I went to my first concert in Boston. I saw Role Model and Gracie Abrams at MGM Music Hall, and it was one of the best nights. I also went by myself, which scared my parents, but it truly made me feel independent. Plus, I made it home safely!
To this day, apple picking at Honey Pot Hill Orchards, organized by the Campus Activities Board, is still one of my favorite things I’ve done this year. I had just started watching Gilmore Girls for the very first time (I know, I know, I’m behind) and fall is my all-time favorite season, so the culmination of those things with quite literally the most picturesque New England fall scene was jaw-dropping.
November
I visited the Museum of Fine Arts for the first time! In the fall semester, I took CC101: Ancient Worlds, and for one of the assignments, we had to find a piece in the MFA that related to the class themes and write about it. My discussion section organized a group, and we made it a fun trip after our classes one day.
I also ended up going home for Thanksgiving. I flew out on the day of, which was surprisingly easy and empty. Over the weekend, I helped my mom move from our old house to our new one—a stressful but important thing to do.
December
My first time going to Snowport! I had seen TikToks about it for months, and I told myself that when I got to BU, I would do all the “touristy” things. I loved it. It was absolutely freezing, but there were so many cute stands—not to mention all the dogs—and being so close to the water was amazing.
Less amazing was my first finals season and the end of the fall semester. My friend and I walked to Cambridge to get our ears pierced to celebrate finals week, and then it was time for winter break.
January
After a long month of being at home, I was eager to return to campus and start the spring semester. Even better, the student government had planned a series of activities for the first few weeks. My favorite January moment was the Terriers On Ice event; I went ice skating for the very first time, and I was better at it than I thought I would be!
There were also the BU vs. BC hockey games, and even though we lost, the energy was unparalleled.
February
I officially joined Her Campus at BU! I wanted to get more involved in the second semester, and the editorial team for Her Campus was exactly how I wanted to do it.
I love the flexibility of writing for HCBU. I can write about whatever I want, and at a frequency that fits within my class workload. It also gave me an entirely new community to make new friends and connect with people I already see in some of my classes.
February was also when I attended my first Beanpot and experienced my first Beanpot win! I had no idea what to expect, but it exceeded anything I could’ve come up with. Going to TD Garden and watching us redeem ourselves against Boston College for the trophy was unreal, and the school spirit was incredible.
March
My first birthday at college!
I actually celebrated it a few different times with my friends and family while I was home for spring break. But on the actual day, my hometown friend was visiting me at school. I dragged her to all my classes, showing her the buildings and giving her a tour of campus. It was really exciting to show someone else the space I had made for myself here.
It was also the day BU faced off against Ohio State University in the hockey tournament, so let’s just say a lot more was at stake than advancing to the next round. But one of the best gifts was that they won, and I definitely let out an audible sigh of relief.
April
All of this brings us to now.
We’ve done next year’s housing selection (which I think was the most stressful part of my year), more midterms, and now it’s almost time to call myself a sophomore instead of a freshman.
It’s still a weird realization. This year felt like it went by so fast, and now, there are only six semesters left. I came to Boston afraid that I wasn’t going to make the most of my first year and that I wouldn’t want to leave my bubble. But, I can proudly and confidently say that this year has opened my eyes to all the experiences I’ll get to enjoy while being here.
I did things spontaneously; I made plans for what I wanted to do, rather than just talking about doing it. And, I accomplished everything I wanted to this year.
One year down, three to go!
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