My social life in my first year of college could be described in one word: boring. I was homesick and I missed my family, which held me down when it came to meeting new people and branching out of my comfort zone. All I wanted to do was eat, sleep, and do homework. Looking back, I regret that I didn’t try to get out more, but what’s passed is passed, and all I can do is look forward. That being said, this school year I am living in an apartment with five other people, which means we stay busy! Everyone has something to do and at the beginning of the year I decided I would branch out of my comfort and try things I’ve never tried before. So, here are 10 new things I did this semester!
- I started learning a new language!
Last semester I changed my major from a STEM major to a Social Science major, and of course, they have different requirements. One of those requirements was that I take a language. I have always been an insecure speaker, whether it be in English or any other language. I stutter sometimes, and my southern roots sometimes kick in when I don’t want them to, so I knew a spoken language would be hard for me. I picked American Sign Language (ASL)! The class environment was so relaxing, and it has offered me insights on the daily lives of deaf people, partly because the curriculum includes that information, and partly because my professor was also deaf. He made learning so fun, and I can’t wait to take ASL II next semester!
- I joined a club!
One of the things I told myself I would do this upcoming semester was join a club or some activity to get myself out and meet new people. One of my friends, who I lived with, mentioned that she was going to an interest meeting for a club called HerCampus! I told her I would go with her, and I had such a fun time, so I joined. Here I am, writing for the club! The two of us also attended a Democrats at Mason interest meeting and decided to join that group as well. The groups have allowed me to get out and meet new people, and also get new opportunities for myself.
- I wrote my first article!
After joining the HerCampus staff writers, I was tasked with writing an article every two weeks. I was a little lost on what I would write about for my first article because I was so nervous. I managed to come up with an idea and I wrote about The Transition from Rural to Urban Life as a person who grew up on a farm but moved to the city for college. From there I have written a couple more, some involving entertainment, while another one covers the Presidential election. I love to write and yap, so this is a perfect outlet for me to nerd about something or to share how I’m feeling!
- I had boba!
A few of my roommates love boba, so we went to a place called TeaDo in Fairfax, VA. I was always nervous to try boba because I didn’t like the idea of chewing something in my drink. However, I ended up getting the passion fruit green tea with strawberry popping boba and mango stars and I loved it! I would say I liked the strawberry popping boba better than the mango stars, but it was still delicious and I did go back and get it again pretty recently, just without the stars.
- Did karaoke in public!
One of my roommates is in the Noteworthy Acapella group on campus, and they hosted a karaoke night for people to hear them sing and to meet new people. I got up the courage to sing twice in front of a large crowd. I am by no means good, but I had fun singing. I had never had the courage to do that in front of people I didn’t know and it was exciting. I was so nervous but it all ended well and I didn’t regret doing it at all.
- I voted in a Presidential Election!
One of the biggest events of this year, I would say, was the Presidential Election. It was one that would change the course of history, and it was a crucial one to vote in. I was able to vote early a few weeks before election day, and I was also able to bring a friend to vote who was doing it for the first time. It was important for both of us. Although the results may not have been what I expected, I know the fight has just begun.
- I turned 20 years old!
I am officially no longer a teenager! In October I turned 20 years old, which was partly sad and partly exciting. Sad because I felt like I was growing up, and exciting because, well, I was growing up! I am so excited to see what the years bring me, and I feel so adulty while I do everything now. How cool is it to say “I’m twenty!” I feel like Sophie from Mamma Mia! I am officially starting my adulthood journey.
- I tried Korean barbecue!
I share a birthday with one of my friends, so the two of us and our mutual friend went out to get dinner to celebrate back in October. They were both craving Korean barbeque and they kept raving about this place called 9292 in Annandale, VA. So, in pure yolo fashion, we all decided to go. It. Was. So. Good. We ended up eating about six plates of meat and it was worth the money. I can’t wait to go back.
- I went ice skating!
I have the coordination of a fish standing up. I am extremely flat footed and I hardly walk straight, so when my roommates proposed that we go ice skating I was scared out of my mind. I had never gone before (despite the one time I went when I was like four years old), and I was scared! However, I at least wanted to try. I wanted to do one lap around the rink. Respectfully, I think we picked the worst day to go because there was a GMU club there at the same time. It took me almost twenty minutes to complete one lap. I had to hold onto the side the whole time and I kept slipping, but I DIDN’T FALL! I was shocked. It was scary and I wasn’t very good, but I don’t regret trying it!
- I went to my first K-Pop pop up event!
My best friend, Emilie, is K-POP obsessed, and I don’t blame her. Some of those songs are such bops it’s hard not to like them. One of her favorite groups, ATEEZ, just released an EP, and there was a pop-up event at the Georgetown Barnes and Noble. We, the two of us and our other friend (Korean BBQ gang back at it), decided to go. I did not purchase anything, but she sure did. The line was long, and while Emilie waited for probably an hour, my other friend and I roamed the lower floors of the store. However, we were able to witness some of the fun activities when we went back up the stairs. People were opening albums left and right, and of course, one of the most exciting things was the trading of the photocards. I had witnessed Emilie buying and selling her own, but seeing it in person was super cool. I was so happy that she was able to talk to these people in full force about her interest and I learned a lot about the importance of these albums and the community that comes with it. Everyone was so sweet.
My freshman year was boring. Sure, there were a few things I did, but nothing amounts to this year. I have met so many new people and tried so many things! I feel my frontal lobe developing, trying new foods I would have never tried years ago, enjoying life as it hits me, and doing spur of the moment things. I am so excited to keep exploring the world and to try more and more things!