For some, the transition to college is a challenging experience; one filled with stress, confusion, and homesickness. You realize there’s that one item that you forgot , but it is too late to go home and get it. Or maybe you miss your beloved family pet, or a particular place that made you feel calm and peaceful, like you could do anything. Maybe making friends was harder than you anticipated, and although you know that there are ample ways to get involved on campus, you find yourself struggling to discover where you truly belong. Contrastingly, for other students, the transition is smooth and as seamless as could be! You feel ecstatic to be starting this new chapter of your life with thousands of new people, and are prepared to tackle this next stage of life’s challenges head-on! Regardless of your position, I think we can unanimously agree with the truthful yet cliche statement that college is a fragile time of change, growth, and self-discovery.
Growing up, I consistently resided in the same town, and attended the same small, sheltered private school for fifteen years. As much as I loved the cozy familiarity of where I came from, by the time senior year rolled around, I desired to experience something new- I craved that sense of being in a crowd of thousands, and of not knowing everyone’s name. I wanted to be a stranger among strangers. I longed to further explore my passions and experience new opportunities to grow in my fields of choice. The transition to UNH has been quiet the drastic change, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
As I look back on this past month and its ups and downs, I figured that it would be appropriate to write a reflection about some of the discoveries that I made in the first month of my college journey (and sprinkle it with some quality gifs). So, without further ado, here we go…..
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Knowing Your Assignments Ahead Of Time Is Fantastic
I know that for many students, college is highly regarded as “procrastination-central”. In high school, I was the complete opposite, and was rather the “anti-procrastinator” who got work done way ahead of time. So, having a work system where all of your assignments are posted a long ways ahead of time has only fueled that part of me all the more, to the point where I sometimes have to monitor myself to make sure I’m not going too crazy in my efficiency! I am also a geek when it comes to my planning journal, and I enjoy being able to write down my assignments for the upcoming week!
2. The Days Feel Longer
With a campus constantly buzzing with stimuli and fresh opportunities at every corner, there’s no telling where you might be swept off to in one day alone. There was one morning where I was exposed to two new potential artistic opportunities within a few hours of waking up. I can recall one night a few weeks ago when my friends and I were out roaming around on campus, and I was shocked upon realizing that my morning class had only happened twelve hours prior. Each and every day is a new adventure filled with things to do, explore, and discover!
3. Your High School Homework Schedule Is Irrelevant
If you explained to my high school-self that I would be doing homework in the mornings and later into the evenings, I would have been quite surprised. At that time, I was adamant about doing my homework in the afternoons and early evenings- no sooner, no later. Now, the two or three-hour time block between when I wake up and when I have my first class has become an ideal time to get work done, along with some evening hours.
4. Umbrellas Are Your Friend
Oddly enough, I had rarely ever used an umbrella before going to college. I would always tough it out, insisting that “the walk is short, and the building is right there, anyway”. Well, due to one particular torrential downpour we had a few weeks ago, I made the mind-boggling discovery that umbrellas were created for a reason, and for that I am immensely grateful!
5. Getting Along With Your Roommate is Fantastic
This one should be rather obvious, but having a roommate who you don’t butt heads with is absolutely blissful! You don’t necessarily have to be bffs, but respecting each other’s space, schedules, lifestyles, and morals is crucial to understanding and communicating with one another effectively. On days where I’m not up to being social and instead feel like lying in my bed on the computer, my roommate’s always there to make me laugh (and to sometimes keep me in check)! I know that I can trust her with anything.
6. You’ll Discover The Things You Took For Granted
As you come into contact with individuals from varying walks of life, you come to realize just how special certain little moments of your past were. Things that you took for granted and never thought twice about suddenly contain a much greater significance once you realize that someone else never got to experience it. Maybe you were brought up in a nicer part of town. Maybe you had a more loving, loyal circle of friends, who shared common interests with you. Maybe a past significant other treated you with more respect. Or, maybe your parents or siblings weren’t such nuisances after all. Whatever your “moment” was, hold on to it and treasure it, because there’s someone out there who would do anything to have that same experience.
7. Public Transportation Is Just As Hard As It Looks, But Also Isn’t
If you’ve never experienced having to rely on public transit, it can initially be a harrowing experience trying to figure out the system, even though you know that in reality, it could be worse. You’ll eventually figure it out, but until you do, you’ll be like me and my friends, chasing down the bus in a Walmart parking lot because you were standing at the outbound stop when you should’ve been at the inbound.
8. People’s Fashion Choices Are All Over The Place
When attending a school with over fifteen-thousand students, you’re gonna see a variety of fashion choices (or lack of)! Regardless of whether you’d like to snag an item from someone’s wardrobe to have as your own, or instead feel the urge to give them a complete makeover, appreciate the uniqueness and individuality that comes with an outfit, no matter how it looks!