They say first semester freshman year is the hardest, and the month of October is the loneliest. First semester is when you have the biggest, most long-awaited change of your life. For weeks upon weeks you are thrilled to be assuming adult responsibilities, living with your peers, and adopting an entirely new life. October, however, is when you have recovered from the excitement of such a big change, and when you realize you are settled into your routine of going to classes, club meetings, and parties.
But October is when you miss your family and your home. You have ridden the thrill of being away from them for long enough, and now, you long for the comfort of your parents’ embrace and the sweet softness of your own bed. The fall colors and cold brisk that lingers throughout the day anticipate the coming of Thanksgiving and the holidays soon after, and your homesickness finds its root in everything around you.
Of course, being a new college student has its ups and downs, which for many include different shapes and sizes of existential crises. October is when you realize you have worked for two months and have two to go, but you seem to have endless semesters following your completion of this one. October is when you want to crawl into your childhood bed and sleep for eternity, but you know your future depends on the jobs and internships that you will be applying for, that you won’t be able to take the entirety of another break off. You can’t decide if you want to still try to be the best or just want to try to pass. In October, you try to remind yourself that you like being busy, but right now you desperately don’t want to be. October is simply the time that you want rest the most but can least afford it.
But we’ve made it through October. We’re over the hump that is the middle of first semester, we’re halfway through, and going forward, we’ll know better how to handle the stress and loneliness that comes with big changes. It is now November, and our long-anticipated Thanksgiving break is upon us before we settle in for finals.