The first week of college carries a kind of magic that you cannot explain. Everything feels unfamiliar yet thrilling: a new place, new faces, a new you. During that first week, you are lost in the feeling of it all. The rush of meeting new people, making the plain dorm room your home, and the joy of finding your new favorite spot around campus. You put on a cute outfit, do your makeup, grab a coffee, and start walking to your first class with the perfect song playing. Your hair flows with the cool breeze, and in that moment, it feels like you are the main character of a movie.
I was figuring out the campus, getting lost more times than I’d admit, and stumbling upon quiet corners that have since become my favorite places to escape to. One day, I hopped on the bus to Target, met a group of freshmen and then spent the whole afternoon with them, laughing and bonding over the shared chaos of starting college. It was a week filled with so many “firsts”: the first meal at the dining halls, the first night in the dorms, the first time meeting the people I now call my friends. I was always early to all my classes, my notes were color-coded and updated, and the motivation to start this new chapter was stronger than ever.
As the weeks went by, this excitement slowly started to fade. Enjoying the campus turned into speed-walking to class to make it on time. Color-coding my notes was not a priority anymore because I was behind on readings. The magical days when everything was new turned into an endless cycle of waking up, sitting through lectures, completing assignments, and doing it all over again. I started getting bored with the food at the dining hall and craved the food my mother cooked for me back home. Homesickness was creeping in little by little, and the magic had faded. The initial spark was gone.Â
At first, I was worried that the excitement was fading away, and I kept waiting for the next big thing to happen, but nothing changed. Then one day, while walking to class, I noticed that the trees around me were slowly changing from lush green to warm shades of red and orange. The air felt crisp, and the leaves crunched under my shoes. Suddenly, it felt a little like the first day again. Everything around me seemed fresh and worth paying attention to. That is when I realized the magic was never gone. I had just been too caught up in everything else to see it.Â
That’s when I truly started learning the art of romanticizing the small and simple everyday moments, turning them into something worth smiling about. I slowed down and started noticing the people walking past me, how the leaves rustled, and how the sunlight hit the red brick buildings just right. I always stop and take pictures of the things I find pretty, like I am collecting moments of time.
Romanticizing is about changing the little things in your routine so that life feels exciting again. It helped me look forward to going to class every day when I had a cute outfit, and the walks to class felt enjoyable when I listened to my curated playlists. I started studying with friends, which made it easier to stay focused and less overwhelming. I found that soft cafe music helped me concentrate better. Assignments became less of a chore and more like something I wanted to do. A big part of keeping things fresh is not backing down from impromptu plans. One time, my friend called asking if I wanted to get bubble tea, and within minutes, we were on the bus heading to downtown Amherst.Â
College is not always pretty, and sometimes it can get stressful. Even when the day feels boring or tough, there is usually something small that can make it better if I look for it. I thought that the excitement of college only existed in the first few weeks, but now I know it can be found in the everyday moments if I take the time to look. A walk to class, a late-night study session, spontaneous trips to downtown Amherst, or quiet sunsets behind the dorms are the pieces that make this chapter special. Maybe college will never feel perfect, but by romanticizing, I get to create my own special moments every day. And to me, that is even better.
Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets!Â