Well, here I am.
Eighteen years, all leading up to this.
College.
The beginning of the rest of my life.
Like so many other college freshmen before me, I entered this place absolutely petrified. I didn't know anyone, I had never lived without parental guidance, and I've never done my own laundry. Hell, I didn't even know how to use a credit card.
To top things off, I was assigned to Newton Campus; the Office of Student Services tries so desperately to boast about Newton to incoming freshman, yet nobody wants anything to do with it (myself included). Someone honestly tried to convince me that taking the bus back to Newton was like "going home." There are so many possible responses to that, very few of which are fit to be put into print.
This person had obviously never actually stepped onto the Newton buses, which, to put it nicely, stink. I see TV shows about amazing feats of physical and mental strength, like that guy who cut his own arm off with a blunt knife because it was trapped under a boulder. But that guy wouldn't stand a chance trying to make it on the 8:45 a.m. Eagle Direct bus whether he had one or both arms.
The Newton Bus is like the stampede scene in The Lion King, only with intelligent creatures. People of all shapes and sizes do not hesitate to throw elbows, trip people, or attack sensitive areas to get on the bus. It's a horrific experience that I would wish on no man or woman, but that I and hundreds of other freshman have to deal with at le ast th ree times a week.
When I first got here, I was worried I wouldn't make friends, that I would just kind of drift through the year. After a few days of the most awkward conversations ever, where I told about 300 people my name, major, and where I'm from, I actually stretched some conversations far beyond these topics and found people to do all kinds of things with, like tossing a Frisbee, going to grab food, or writing a column at 4 a.m. the day after it was supposed to be submitted. It's solid.
Living independently has also been a whole new experience for me. I now realize there were so many things I took for granted, like waking up and being greeted by my family, or having my laundry folded for me, or even getting yelled at for leaving my stuff all over the place.
At the same time, I almost feel liberated; I can do what I want, when I want, and how I want. I'm unashamed to say I had a pint of icecream for breakfast a few days ago. It was glorious. At this point, however, I'm not sure which lifestyle I prefer.
I haven't even mentioned the actual college part yet. After all, I am here to get an education. Even before I began applying for colleges, I was warned to find the balance between work and play. I never thought that would be an issue with me.
Until I actually started going to college, that is. Now that I'm here, I have to make decisions every day on what to do and what not to do, what I should do and what can wait, all while things like football games, parties, and other social activities are ongoing.
To be honest, I'm still struggling to find that balance. I have had many late nights that didn't have to happen, but were just a by-product of my laziness. I hope to stop all that pretty soon, before I get stuck in too many bad habits.
I'm happy to announce that most of these problems and fears I had have been solved (except the whole credit card thing. I'm still scared to even try to use it). I even figured out how to work the washer and dryer with some Neanderthal-style tactics.
I feel like I've done a pretty good job of adjusting to the "college lifestyle," even though I still have much to learn. One thing I do know though is that I love this place, and I hope that the next four years are as exciting as this first month.
Be the first to comment on this article!