To tell the truth, adjusting to college has been difficult. I have had some of the best times of my life already, but I occasionally feel the weight of the real world sinking down on me. That feeling chases me, reminding me that I will never be the little kid sitting on the couch watching Spongebob with my family ever again.
Growing up, I was an only child. That meant that I had a few good friends, but I was around my parents quite a lot. I didn’t have any siblings to play with or occasionally yell at. Being around my parents so much meant it was only harder for me to leave. As a kid, I would only feel comfortable around adults. Growing up, other children overwhelmed me for absolutely no reason. Over time, I was able to adjust to other kids and make friends, but it wasn’t the same as going to my mom and dad for support. When kids asked me to sleep over, I would get scared. I had no idea how I’d act being only one night without my parents.
The transition to college wasn’t easy at all. UMaine usually moves in pretty late compared to other schools. That means I would have to see a bunch of happy first day of school pictures posted on Instagram. I know there are people who felt the same way as me, but at the time I felt alone. Leaving my parents behind was scary and emotional since I had never done that before in my life. Thankfully, my friends and my boyfriend were going to the same school, so I knew I could rely on them to help me through it. The first few days of college, I was very very sad. I would’ve been a lot worse if I didn’t have my close friends and such a good community throughout the difficult process. As I became situated here, I learned that you can call more than one place home. Home can be the place you grow up, but it can also be the people, the environment, and the community of a university. As you adjust, you can also adapt and become comfortable. I still get emotional when leaving my parents behind from a visit, but now I have adjusted to sleeping soundly here, surrounded by the constant sound of obnoxious door slams.