As a senior, I find it interesting, funny and a little embarrassing to look back on the past three years of college- especially back to my freshman year.
This year I have been especially reflective because my life feels so different from how it felt my freshman year; I have my friends figured out, I have decided on my majors (thank goodness), and I’m living in my first apartment. Besides all of those changes, I have also changed and grown as a person. While I don’t have my whole life figured out, I have learned a lot about myself; I have figured out what my priorities and goals are; I know what to look for in friends and even boyfriends; I have learned how to be independent and found that I enjoy doing things on my own. But we all have to start somewhere.
When I arrived on campus my freshman year, I had no clue what college would be like or what it would mean to me. Everyone told me “college is the best four years of your life” and I thought, “okay, cool, can’t wait.” At the time, I didn’t realize how right they were.
As a freshman, I was excited, but also shy and soft-spoken, and honestly a little confused. I didn’t know where my place was on campus or what I wanted to get involved with, I only had a vague idea of what my major would be, and I really wasn’t sure that I was in the place that I was meant to be.
I checked out a few different campus organizations and then my roommate told me to look into going through recruitment for Greek Life. I didn’t actually go through formal recruitment, but instead went on to become a founding member of Alpha Gamma Delta on campus. Again, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but I hoped that it would get me somewhere (or at least keep me busy).
Now this is not a story about joining a sorority, but joining Alpha Gam was a big step for me in my college experience and I honestly do not think that I would be the person I am today had I not joined this organization.
I spent the rest of freshman year figuring out what I wanted to major in and where I would fit in on campus. I also began to explore some of what Boone had to offer and found an adventurous part of me that I didn’t even know existed! I didn’t do anything too crazy, but hiking and skiing were enough to tap into my adventurous side.
By the time I came back for sophomore year, I was one of those college students that were really looking forward to the start of the school year. No, I didn’t have everything together and my life wasn’t perfect, but I was excited to see what the school year would bring.
During my sophomore year I became busier and busier with school, friends and the activities I was involved in. I had found my close-knit group of friends, I was very involved on campus and I was enjoying every second of it.
In my spring semester I decided to take a class that required a travel experience as a part of it, and the trip was to D.C. It was on this trip that I discovered I had an interest in traveling. So, in the fall of my junior year, I applied to study abroad and I spent the spring living in Italy!
This was an experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I got to experience so much- I was exposed to new cultures, met people from all over the world, and had experiences that I never imagined I would have. I also learned a lot about myself during my semester abroad- I didn’t know anyone in the program that I was in, which was a little intimidating. This forced me out of my shell and put me in a situation that I had to work through on my own- I couldn’t just go home for a weekend if I wanted to. I learned how to travel on my own and find my way around new cities. I learned how to interact with all different kinds of people and it really gave me a new perspective on my life and our world as a whole.
Now I’m back at App as a senior and I couldn’t be more content with my college experience so far. As a freshman, I never thought that I would be where I am today; I didn’t realize how much my friends would mean to me or how their support over the past few years helped me to become the person I am now; I never thought I would be brave enough to move to a different country on my own; I definitely didn’t foresee the adventurous person I’ve become.
As a senior my life isn’t perfect, but I’ve learned that it’s not supposed to be. When I was a freshman, I spent a lot of time questioning whether or not I was where I was supposed to be; now that I’m a senior I’ve realized that I am where I am supposed to be and I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else.
Looking back, I wouldn’t change anything about freshman me, but I would remind myself that college is what you make of it. It’s your experience and you can do whatever you want with it- make it something that you look back on and say “wow, those were some of the greatest years of my life.”
I’m going into senior year with a new perspective. It is refreshing sometimes to look back on your experience so far, to see how far you’ve come. I’ve gained a new appreciation for Appalachian and what I’ve experienced here, and that makes me even more excited for what senior year will bring.
Sources:
SaveSave