As my mother and I journeyed to Ohio in our family minivan, we found ourselves partaking in all the usual activities that make an eight hour drive from civilization to Gambier bearable. We ambled through out-of-the way side-towns in West Virginia, handed crumpled dollar bills to the toll booth tellers—muttering apologies for the growing lines behind us—and discussed things that would normally be off-limits between mother and daughter. I don’t care how close you are with your parents, sex is never an appropriate topic to discuss with your 65 year-old mother.
While some parts of our trip from Belmont, North Carolina to Gambier, Ohio are unmemorable stretches of drive from rolling hill to rolling hill, I found myself mulling over the typical thoughts that come to pass as one enters upon her junior year of college. How will this year be different? What do I want to accomplish? Is it appropriate to get first-year drunk or am I now at the age where I will be judged for doing so?
I decided after much consideration that I have my whole life to be judged. I was getting Jersey Shore season two-style trashed that night.
Although those of you reading this may be at different points in your collegiette journey, I believe that we can all agree that we are linked inextricably by the same thoughts and feelings at this particular juncture: It’s a new year. Whether you’re a first-year blinking wide-eyed and intimidated in your Quest for Justice class, a sophomore with your one extra year of college maturity trying to figure out what the hell to do with that, junior in the midst of classmates coming and going abroad or senior—not quite ready to be a woman but definitely not a girl—we are all simply trying to find our place in this community we collectively call home.
Despite where you are—first-year, sophomore, junior, senior, girl, woman, anxious, exhilarated, overwhelmed or content—HerCampus will remain right where we’ve always been: bookmarked securely in your favorites folder, providing you with the resources you need to answer the questions you are at a loss to even begin to tackle.
Whether you’re simply submitting your nominations for Campus Cutie (Hello adorable junior soccer player!!), looking for dorm room decorating advice, or trying to stay informed on a political arena that seems to be tearing women left and right (literally), HC is honored to be your guide to collegiette life. So start submitting those Cuties and make HC your Number One Most Viewed website, because we’re ready to kick the year off right.
HCXO