As a college freshman, there are countless new experiences during your freshman year including your first holiday season at school. I wanted to document what the holiday season, specifically Christmas, has been like during my freshman year at TCU.
The first Tuesday back from Thanksgiving kicked off holiday festivities with TCU’s annual tree-lighting event. This event had been on my radar for quite some time. It was listed on the events calendar TCU put on every dorm fridge and had been talked about by TCU student ambassadors during most TCU events I had attended since I first toured the school. I had high expectations for such a hyped-up event. It seemed all the marketing TCU put into the event paid off as the commons were packed with people. My roommate and I managed to squeeze through the large crowd to see Aaron Tveit. Tveit played Christmas and Broadway hits alike. A concert, hot cocoa, and fireworks were a great way to kick off the last stretch of school before break. Even though after the event many upperclassmen told tales of a much grander firework show in years passed I still enjoyed the kick-off to the season.
Besides big school-wide events, I have found Christmas closer to home, in my dorm. A Christmas tree in the main hall and garland strung around the room made returning to the dorm feel a little more like home each day. Especially the days I would come back to the dorm to find someone playing Christmas songs on the piano. To me the holidays are made up of countless little moments that make the month of December feel special, so college might have been a change of scenery but it did not change the little moments. My roommate and I made sure our dorm room matched the rest of the building with our own decorations. Mini Christmas trees sit on our desks, garlands hang around the room, and Christmas mugs for our morning coffee make the room feel cozy instead of cramped.
I did not know what to expect from my first Christmas season at college but it has been a wonderful experience. Although I’m quite ready for the semester to be over and to be back at home, I know I will miss celebrating with my friends at school. In every cheesy Christmas movie, they always say it’s about the people, not the presents, and I have found that to ring true for me this holiday season.