One for the history books. You hear stories about freshman year from everyone you talk to before you head to college. Parents giving advice, random adults reflecting on their college years and simultaneously forcing unwarranted and sometimes uncomfortable anecdotes on you. I think it’s safe to say that I probably can now relate to every single one of those stories.
Lets see, what happened to me freshman year? I broke up with, and then got back together with, and then broke up with again my high school girlfriend. I got homesick, sometimes didn’t leave my room for hours, made a ton of friends, met some people I didn’t like, some I loved, learned a bunch, probably forgot about half that much, and had a genuinely amazing time. I love college. Oh wait, and also spent the entirety of winter quarter with mono. That wasn’t so fun. I definitely don’t recommend it.
So there were ups and downs, but I think I can solidly say that 100% of the time I spent was absolutely 100% useful and valuable, no matter what I was doing, learning, or just figuring out.
My parents ask me whenever I came home about every aspect of my new life off of tiny Orcas Island in the big city. I spent hours trying to recount what I had learned and all the stories I had to tell, and in the midst of all that I did realize a few key things about who I was becoming:
I discovered what I want to do—combat climate change through the clean tech field and decided I wanted to major in Chemical Engineering. I learned what it meant to be an individual and how to be yourself above all else. I realized that it actually wasn’t easy to get lost in the hurried life in the big city as long as you move just as fast.
If I had to choose one aspect of the first year of my college experience that was above all else the most amazing, all consuming, and enjoyable it would definitely have to be the people. There are so many amazing individuals in the world, and I’m sure I’ve only met a fraction. Every day I meet someone knew that has something teach me and something that fascinates me—professors, students, or just people walking by me on the street. And the friends! I’m so glad to have met the people I have thus far because they have made me who I am, they have made me so incredibly happy.
If this one year has been any indication for the years to come, I’ll be the luckiest person in the world.
Lets see, what happened to me freshman year? I broke up with, and then got back together with, and then broke up with again my high school girlfriend. I got homesick, sometimes didn’t leave my room for hours, made a ton of friends, met some people I didn’t like, some I loved, learned a bunch, probably forgot about half that much, and had a genuinely amazing time. I love college. Oh wait, and also spent the entirety of winter quarter with mono. That wasn’t so fun. I definitely don’t recommend it.
So there were ups and downs, but I think I can solidly say that 100% of the time I spent was absolutely 100% useful and valuable, no matter what I was doing, learning, or just figuring out.
My parents ask me whenever I came home about every aspect of my new life off of tiny Orcas Island in the big city. I spent hours trying to recount what I had learned and all the stories I had to tell, and in the midst of all that I did realize a few key things about who I was becoming:
I discovered what I want to do—combat climate change through the clean tech field and decided I wanted to major in Chemical Engineering. I learned what it meant to be an individual and how to be yourself above all else. I realized that it actually wasn’t easy to get lost in the hurried life in the big city as long as you move just as fast.
If I had to choose one aspect of the first year of my college experience that was above all else the most amazing, all consuming, and enjoyable it would definitely have to be the people. There are so many amazing individuals in the world, and I’m sure I’ve only met a fraction. Every day I meet someone knew that has something teach me and something that fascinates me—professors, students, or just people walking by me on the street. And the friends! I’m so glad to have met the people I have thus far because they have made me who I am, they have made me so incredibly happy.
If this one year has been any indication for the years to come, I’ll be the luckiest person in the world.