It’s hard to believe that a year ago, I was fighting the uphill battle of filling out the Common App and opening college decisions at work, then finally committing to FSU, and finally becoming a Nole, after months of stress-induced eczema ended an era of my life I try very hard to blur out.
During the application process, I had no expectations for what my next four years might look like. The only thing on my mind was a college acceptance letter. Once it happened, I realized I could start curating what my life was going to look like at FSU without worrying about rejection or not being good enough.
I planned all these events I was going to attend and changes I would make in college, but the truth is, not all of it went exactly as planned. As my first two months of college come to an end, I wanted to share my expectations of coming to FSU versus the realities, using the “Three P’s”: Parties, Parking, and People!
- Parties
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Now, I can’t say I’m a master party animal and that I run the streets of Tallahassee (yet), but I can say the title of No. 1 Party School in America isn’t just for show.
I fully expected to come to FSU and see people mogging me on their way to the club while I walked to the library to study for the chemistry exam two months out (because there’s never enough time for chemistry), and I was right! Seriously, there are girls walking down the streets looking like models and gracing the parties with their presence, one black boot at a time.
Even though partying is the way students typically show their school spirit here, it’s not a necessary ticket of admission to have a good time. I’ve found that some of my best nights were spent playing pool with my roommate in the basement of our dorm or getting dinner with friends after exams.
There are also free on-campus spots you can make the most of, such as the Askew Student Life Center’s free movie theater or Club Downunder’s bowling alley. Of course, it’s always fun to go out for a night and hang out with friends while music and smoke machines go off in the background, but if that’s not your scene, that’s okay.
Don’t let the menacing title of “Tally Flu” or Talloween hold you back from becoming a Nole!
- Parking
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Bad can’t even begin to describe the evil that’s parking at FSU. Truthfully, it’s like traversing a secret level of Dante’s Inferno if it took place in parking garages.
My expectation was for it to be a situation where everyone says it sucks because they have to park 10 feet farther than expected, but no. Try 1,000 feet away or, better yet, 1,000 miles away from wherever your destination may be.
There’s never any parking in the lots closest to your dorm; people insist on parking in the lines of two different spots because “their truck needs the room,” and good luck finding any overnight parking space any time after 8 p.m.
My personal take on this is to just not bring your car, if possible. I forfeited my car to my dad until summer because I just assumed that I could walk most places or, if it came down to it, force my friends to chauffeur me around. That was the best decision I’ve ever made in the history of my 18 years of living.
I’m saving myself time and sanity just by not having my car, which are two things you will cherish and hold onto here.
- People
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I’m not great at meeting new people. Put me in a huge social setting where there are large groups of people who are friends of friends, where I can rely on other people to keep a conversation going, and I’m golden.
However, simply walking up to people by myself and saying, “Oh wow, I love your top! Let’s hang out!” is essentially what I see in my nightmares. You can imagine my fear going into college, where that’s kind of the entire friend-making process as a freshman on campus. My expectation regarding this issue was to be friendless forever and become a hermit in my dorm room, leaving only for classes or the occasional laundry trip.
Except that didn’t happen!
When people say “just show up” regarding clubs, sports, or functions going on around campus, it works. I met people with common interests and hobbies by going to meetings or welcome week events and putting myself out there without worrying that a perfectly crafted conversation or joke might fall through (it happens to the best of us).
Truthfully, the dread I had sitting on my shoulders for months before coming to FSU, and fearing that I was never going to find any friends, seems an impossible scenario for me now. You’ll always be able to find people who like you for you as long as you’re open to making the effort to just show up.
So far, this is my entire two months at FSU wrapped up in a HCFSU article for all to see! It’s been such a fun experience and has given me a chance to live life outside my small hometown where everybody knows everybody. Even though it’s different and took some getting used to, I think I’ve found it to be a new place to call home.
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