All the time growing up, you hear that college will be the best four years of your life. It’s only now that I’m starting to realize how true that is. I’m not even a full semester done at Boston University, and it’s safe to say that my first three months as a freshman here have completely changed my life.
I’ve always thought that I was independent; I dreamed of moving to a big city as a child, often finding myself thinking about which countries I’d like to visit once I was older. I’ve always done what I loved, even if it meant receiving judgment for it, so I knew college would be a great place for me.
I guess when you’re younger, you just don’t think about it like that until you’re really in the thick of it. Now, as I write this from my cozy little dorm room on Babcock St. in Beantown, I really do believe college is the best thing that has happened to me.
I had a difficult time in high school. My freshman year was good, my sophomore year was fine, my junior year was bad (indescribably so), and my senior year was…well, it was what it was. I had a handful of close friends, spent a lot of time at home with my family, and poured myself into the things I cared about. I wrote for and edited the student newspaper, was part of clubs, and worked hard academically. But it was hard.
High school was not (to say the least) the picture-perfect, dreamy Disney movie I had envisioned. However, if it weren’t for that time in my life, I wouldn’t be where I am now. All of those tears, hopeless moments, and late nights studying were building up to something greater than I could’ve imagined, a place where I’d make a home for myself and create a new life away from my hometown.
The moment I got my acceptance letter to Boston University, my life changed. I spent the rest of my senior year ready to take on the city. Time moved fast, and before I knew it, I was on a plane away from my suburban Minnesota town.
I moved into my dorm in August, unpacked my suitcases, and settled into my new life. I fell in love with this campus (and city) immediately; the fast-paced movement of it all was something I desperately needed. Taking the T from Babcock to Blandford became a part of my routine, movie nights in the dorm with my friends became the highlight of my week, and studying for classes on the history of international relations and ancient worlds invigorated me.
Here I was, in one of the greatest cities in the United States! I knew I had to seize every opportunity. Starting with the Splash club fair during the first week of school, I signed up for clubs like Her Campus and the Daily Free Press. College has given me every opportunity to try new things and be a part of communities I care about.
Being in a big city like Boston, I’ve had ample opportunities to explore; my friends and I have gone into the North End for Italian food, shopped on Newbury Street, and even spent time in Brookline walking around with bagels and coffee in hand.
I recently found myself down near Northeastern’s campus to visit the Museum of Fine Arts for a class assignment. I made a solo date out of it, spent the afternoon looking at the different pieces, and ended the day with a grocery trip to Whole Foods. Whether it’s a group or if I’m by myself, I just love getting out and about for the day and taking a break from my studies.
Most of all, I have been changed by the people I’ve met, and they’re the ones who have made my experience what it is. Sharing laughs with my roommate late at night after a long day, chatting with the girls in my COM lecture before class, and eating hot pot with my KSA family had made me realize how much I’d been craving moments like these for all of high school.
College had given me so many gifts, one of them being the number of new people I encountered on a daily basis. These past three months have been filled with laughter, music, and joy. I never feel lonely here, and that might be because I’m good at being alone, but it’s also because I’ve joined a community where I feel like there’s always someone new to meet. Being a small fish in a big pond is the best decision I’ve made for myself.
Consider this my love letter to Boston University: it’s only December, and I’m already calling this place my home. I’m thankful for the people, places, and everything in between that I’ve come across since arriving here. So if you’re in high school and struggling, just know it does get better. Take it from someone who was once in your place, and is now happier than ever.
You’ll find the place you belong!
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