One of my very favorite sayings of all time is “know thyself.” When you are transitioning between the comfort of high school and the completely new terrain of college, however, it’s easy for that attitude to become blurred. My first five weeks here at Bucknell have been filled with missing my cat, getting used to living with a bunch of strangers (now turned family), and getting scared in the middle of the night when I hear a bang and realize I now share a room with another human being (love you, Alessia). But through my time here, I feel as though I have warped into a more genuine version of myself who is not afraid to change her mind or approach the new normal in a different light. Please allow me to share with you my random and blemished and authentic wisdom!
You Will Miss Your People A LOT, But Will Find Ways to Make it Fun
Although the anticipation of coming to Bucknell excited me all summer, the transition from seeing my family, friends, and lovely boyfriend every day was daunting. We are so lucky to live in a world where texting and FaceTime exist, and over the past month here I have for sure used that to my advantage. My 12-year-old sister and I have little face mask dates over the phone and talk about our days. My boyfriend and I Netflix Party — aka watch a movie together on separate devices. I’ve learned that even though we are all so busy, it is so, so, SO important to still spend quality time with the people we love, even if they are at a distance. I also purchased postcards with silly food-related puns on them to send to my friends’ P.O. boxes at their universities, and am pen pals with my aunt! Distance can sometimes be hard, but keeping relationships with the people you love make for brighter days and more peaceful minds.
Don’t Be Afraid to Change Your Mind
When I first got to Bucknell a little over a month ago, I had my sights set on being a neurologist. But truth be told, every time I even thought about medical school or my chemistry class, I was filled with overwhelming feelings of anxiety. I have always been a creative writer and been interested in human nature, but felt like I had to follow the clear-cut path of what is societally deemed as “successful.” My second week here, I dropped my chemistry and calculus classes and switched into a writing fiction class. I quite genuinely think that was the best decision I’ve ever made for myself. My piece of advice is to not be scared to follow your heart, because if you really love what you are learning you’re never going to work a day in your life.
You Really Do Find Your Bridesmaids in College
I am a people-pleaser by nature, and for the entirety of my high school experience I was super invested in having close friendships and relationships with everyone. Although that of course has its perks, I for sure stretched myself extremely thin. When I graduated I made a promise to myself that when I got to college I would approach friendships differently and try to find my four quarters rather than my 100 pennies, so to speak. I am lucky enough to say that I have made a close knit group of incredible friends here at Bucknell — friends that have left social events with me when I have gotten too anxious to stay, friends who have listened to my past without judgment, friends who will take the trek to Amami every morning and chase the ducks by the train station with me. They’ve taught me that you don’t need a lot of besties, just the right ones.