When I entered my freshman year of college, I had this over-romanticized view of what would happen. It is safe to say my first year did not go according to my fantasies or high expectations.
This does not mean that my freshman year was entirely unmemorable. I’ve divided up this exciting chapter in my adult life into “eras” in no particular order.
- “Getting Used to Walking” Era
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I am not an athletic person. I avoid any form of physical work if I can help it. When I first moved in, my roommates and I decided to take a walk around campus and the nearby neighborhoods. I was so out of breath by the end of the walk I contemplated if I could really do this every day.
My back was hurting like a rod was rammed through it and the walk was not agreeing with my stomach.
Eventually, the burning in my calves lessened day by day and now I’m grateful for my walks to class and my study spots. Listening to music while walking just makes it better and I will accept no other argument.
- “Nasty 19” Era
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My birthday falls on Feb. 3, so I celebrated it in my apartment-style dorm with my roommates and friends.
My 19th birthday was one of the best birthdays I had in a while. Our close friend from high school stayed over at our apartment for the entirety of my birthday week so the apartment truly felt alive and girly. My birthday officially started at 12 a.m. when everyone treated me to 19 vicious birthday punches.
The next day consisted of putting on my birthday outfit and makeup and inviting friends over to the apartment. My roommate made birthday pancakes for me to blow the candles out on. There were nasty 19 pictures taken to post on Instagram. Birthday wishes were given. Music was blasted (apologies to my neighbors).
It was genuinely a fun, chill birthday that was perfect from the start to the end.
- “Wavy Hair” Era
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I spent my entire life knowing I had wavy hair but never knowing how to manage it. My first attempt at a wavy hair routine had been to simply wash it and put it up at night praying it would look the exact same the next day.
I’ve scoured so many videos about tips and tricks to care for and manage curly and wavy hair. It was this year that I finally found a routine that fits me. It seems like such a minuscule event compared to the other ones so far, but it’s an important one that finally made me like my hair for once.
I can finally leave behind the god-awful days of just combing through it and going to school with a frizzy, wavy, semi-straight situation.
- “Joe March” Era
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I use Joe March’s iconic scene in “Little Women” where she admits to her mother in tears how lonely she is despite the fact having a romantic relationship is proving society exactly right: it’s all a woman is fit for, to sum up, my lack of romance in college.
Now, my romantic life is not as dramatic as Joe March’s is; in fact, it’s nonexistent. I spent my entire life aware of the fact that I’ve never been in a relationship or been through those embarrassing firsts in high school. But during high school, I never minded that. I didn’t pay too much mind to my singleness because I figured college is where it will be fixed.
But when college rolled around I put this pressure on myself to finally get those firsts out of the way which I’ve realized now is the wrong approach to these things. It also didn’t help I have a tendency to base my extremely high standards and expectations on completely fictional things.
I’ve tried dating apps and honestly didn’t even use them for their intended purpose. My roommate abused them constantly using my profile to have some fun (but weird) conversations with the people I matched.
I’ve now come to the conclusion that putting too much thought into relationships is only going to make them more unattainable for me. It’s not like I don’t have love in my life because I do. I’m surrounded by it every day by my friends and the dorm we’ve slowly brought our love and care into.
Columbia Pictures / Sony - “Making Our Apartment Into A Pinterest Board” Era
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My favorite thing about my apartment is the fridge.
My roommates and I have been decorating it for the longest time with random miscellaneous things from flyers from the club fair to the paper warning my roommates and I got for forgetting our keys (among the three of us).
Our apartment has become the hangout spot for all our friends. It makes me sad to think about taking down the decorations we’ve put up and being left with bare walls. There are so many things about the apartment that makes it so us.
The wall of polaroids near the front door. The movie wall we created during the middle of the year. The posters we tore from VCU’s magazine. The plastic beach balls we used to play ball inside on some days. The stained couch we couldn’t get a replacement for. The mini cockroach we sometimes use to scare the other roommates.
I’m gonna miss the moldy vents and questionable stains when move-out day comes around.
- “Drinkity-Drink” Era
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My roommate and I started getting drinks at Panera when we signed up for the Free Sip club together.
Ever since then, it’s become a common thing to ask the other, “You wanna get a drinkity-drink at Panera?”
I know my body screams at me every single time I fill up my cup with one of the fruity flavors but getting drinks at Panera will never get old.
- “GRWM” Era
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I’ve summed up my makeup journey into my “GRWM” era because my favorite thing to do in the morning while getting ready is to act like I’m recording my daily GRWMs for my TikTok followers in front of my small mirror.
This would sound psychotic if my roommate wasn’t a deep sleeper and I didn’t whisper every time I did it. Since coming to college, I’ve slowly transitioned into a makeup routine that suits me and I am content with.
My bank account can speak to the number of products I’ve purchased since the start of my freshman year. Doing my makeup is something therapeutic that I treasure deeply.
And yes, I am a strict outfit, makeup then hair girly. There is no other way for me to do it.
- “Communal Friends” Era
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I love joking with my roommates about how every time one of us makes a friend we bring that friend to the apartment to meet the rest of us and soon enough we’re all friends.
I know they say to expand beyond your high school friends, but the people who made the statement obviously don’t know me and my roommates.
- “Registration Death Day” Era
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All of my class registration days have been horrible.
The first time was before I even moved into the dorms and I was stupid and signed up a week late.
The second time was for my spring classes and my registration date fell on the same day as Taylor Swift’s presale. I woke up bright and early to register only to find all the classes I need to be filled up. Naturally, I cried myself to sleep after and was woken up later by my roommate for the presale.
The third time was more successful. I did everything right. I created a plan in eservices, I woke up thirty minutes early and managed to get all the classes I needed except one.
I sure wish someone warned me how registering for classes gives you the same anxiety as being hunted for sport.
