LDB: Long-Distance Belles

Offering advice and words of encouragement to incoming Belles that will be far from home this fall.

[ldbelles]

5 Things That Might Happen During Your First Week of College

1. There may be tears.

Going away to college is as much stressful as it is exciting! Your parents may get super emotional that they don’t get to see you as often. They’ll probably cry when they say goodbye and leave you to carve your own path. It’s a moment that can be overwhelming. Be prepared with the Kleenex.

You might cry. If you’re like me, having picked a school over 10 hours away without any of your friends, you will get emotional, too. You’ll feel lonelier than ever, despite being surrounded with tons of other people and things to see. It’ll be scary having to start over somewhere completely different.

2. You’ll make new friends.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’re going to make a lot of friends your first week. I use the term “friends” lightly, because chances are, names will be very hard to remember. The good thing is this: bonds can be formed over the smallest of things, like borrowing a command strip from a neighbor or your choice of seat in a class.

It will be terrifying having to “start over” with friends. All of my friends from high school stayed in-state for college, so I knew nobody when I went to Saint Mary’s. The great part about our campus size, though, is that making friends is easy! Classes are fairly small and the sense of community is established from the moment the school year starts. Be yourself, be outgoing, reach out to others, and you’ll find your group in no time.

3. Decorating.

I took a while to decide how I wanted to arrange the things in my dorm room. Looking back on it, I way overpacked for my freshman year. I was so far from home and I was also the first child in my family to go to college, so my parents set me up with what seemed like too much. Arrange and rearrange your room if you can! Getting your space the way you want can take a while, but it definitely makes a difference.

I browse Redbubble constantly for posters and stickers. They’re fairly cheap and help me add personality to my space. My dorm room walls are always covered with posters; one of my favorites has a colorful map of Tennessee, my home state. It’s nice to look at and reminds me of home.

4. Sneezing.

This one is a little weird and specific to those of you that are coming from different parts of the country. When I got to Saint Mary’s, I found myself with an almost-constant runny nose and itchy eyes. I was not prepared for the allergies I got. This happened because I was coming from a totally different area of the country with a different environment. It was something I hadn’t even considered.

Being prepared with allergy medicine, especially if you’re traveling a long distance to school! It’ll take a while to get adjusted to the different pollens and such.

5. You’ll find the place.

Everyone has it. The first week on campus is intimidating, but by the end of it, you will have scouted out your favorite place. It may be inside, like a table at the library or a spot in your room. It may be outside, by a certain tree or on a bench in the shade. Soon enough, you’ll have your place and you’ll be comfortable exploring campus.

Saint Mary’s is a smaller campus, but it is one of the most beautiful. From the island in the middle of Lake Marian to the table by the window on the 4th floor of the library, there will be a place for everyone.

[ldbelles]

Welcome!

“The essence of our college is not its buildings, its endowment fund, its enrollment, or even its faculty; the essence is the teaching of truth.” — Sister M. Madaleva Wolff, C.S.C.

Hello! My name is Riley. I’m a rising senior at Saint Mary’s majoring in English Writing with a minor in Public Relations/Advertising. My mother attended Saint Mary’s from 1988-1990, and although she didn’t graduate from there, she still loved the school and encouraged my first visit.

My goal was always to leave home to attend college. I live right outside of Memphis, Tennessee, so I definitely achieved that goal. However, I never knew how hard the adjustment would be to being 10 hours away from home. I may not be the farthest, but 616 miles is still a long way between Saint Mary’s and I.

Having been an out-of-state student for 3 years now, I want to help incoming Belles any way I can. My experiences definitely aren’t universal, but if I can make just one person feel more at home at Saint Mary’s, that’ll be enough for me.

Sister Madaleva, perhaps the most renowned President of Saint Mary’s College, said that the essence of the school is the teaching of truth. The truth isn’t always pretty, nor will it make you comfortable most of the time. My 3 years at Saint Mary’s have taught me so many truths about myself and the world: my abilities, my future, my contributions to the world, my strengths and weaknesses, among others.

I have two homes — one at Saint Mary’s and the other in Tennessee. It is true that I still get homesick, even after 3 years. It is also true that I have learned so many things that help me feel less out of place so far away.

This will be a resource for incoming and future Belles who are coming from far away like I did. College is hard enough as it is, but when you’re coming from completely different parts of the country (or world, even), it can seem even more daunting.

Don’t worry too much. There will always be help when you look for it.

Go Belles!