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.