New Chapters: Notes to and From a College Freshman

Hey guess what? I moved into college!

A few weeks ago I packed up the last bits of my life and hauled my butt all the way to good old Pittsburgh, PA. Now that I've had a chance to settle in and sort out my life, I'm working towards scheduling more time to write. For a week or so I contemplated writing a post and I knew I had to post an update, but it was tough. In addition to being homesick and running from class to class, I felt I didn't quite have the right words to explain what was going on in my life at the time. I realized I wasn't posting on social media, and for a while, it hadn't sunk in that I was actually in college. It all felt, and still somewhat does, like a dream. 

Fast forward to present day, three weeks later. I'm loving my classes and I'm settling in nicely. Pittsburgh may be nothing like home, but that's what makes it exciting. Being away from my family in such a different city is making me more independent. I'm learning to take care of situations for myself and I am feeling much more confident in being able to care for myself.

So, to all you freshman who have yet to move in, or to you high school seniors wanting to take a glimpse into the first few weeks, take note!

1. Don't forget your contacts - I'm an idiot. An idiot who cannot see without some sort of seeing lens. Luckily I had my glasses, but I was down to my last pair when I realized I had not packed the rest of my contacts stash. If you forget something at home, you can usually pick it up at the local CVS, but anything prescription will be a pain to get! Thank god for my mom who shipped them out the me as soon as she saw them right where I left them on my dresser at home! I can now see. Seeing Mei Lu is a happy Mei Lu.  

2. Go to the orientation events - Realize it or not, there are a ton of hard working individuals and groups putting their time and effort into making your college transition easier. Trust me, there is more to orientation than awkward icebreakers, so suck it up and have a good time. This is a great time to meet new people and find your way around campus. Plus you get free food! (This will be the best food you eat all year, so take advantage of it.) My school actually had some really fun events and without them, I probably wouldn't have connected with my current friends.

3. Find your people - That being said, in the midst of all the first week events, it's important to meet some people. That doesn't mean you need to find your best friends for life in the first two days, but it is good to say "hi" and introduce yourself a little. Once orientation ends and classes start you may find yourself getting homesick, but if your find people that truly get you it can ease a lot of the initial discomfort. In the sea of hundreds of new students it may be overwhelming to "find friends", but if you be yourself and stay open, you'll naturally become friends with people you click with.

4. Make time for yourself - In the hustle and bustle of the first couple weeks, it can get overwhelming real fast. So schedule some time for yourself, whether it be an hour after class to unwind with Netflix or with a good book and some tea from your new fancy smansy Keurig. By allowing yourself to take some time away from socializing, it helps you relax and unwind after a hard day of classes. 

5. Dress nice, but no one cares - Pretty much self explanatory. Yes, look decent for move-in day, but know that you are gonna become a sweat storm by the time ID photos come around. Everyone obviously has their own standards and personal style, but the amount of sweat pant garbed students you see is incredible. 

6. Avoid the dessert table - #1 cause for freshman 15. Especially if the dessert table is on the way out of the dining hall. Enough said. 

7. Call your parents - Most likely they are funding this whole life extravaganza experience called college, so show a little gratitude once in a while and call home. They'll bug you less if you initiate conversation and you'll be surprised how nice it is to hear their voice.

8. Music takes you right back home - If all else fails and you somehow have an awful week full of homesickness, longing for your bed, friends, and showers without shoes, just turn on your music and you're home again. By playing the same music you listened to back in your room at home, it'll bring the same feeling of comfort and relaxation you had before you moved. If you close your eyes and lay back in bed it'll be like you never left.

I hope some of these words will aid in the difficult transition phase, and always know it will get better! It's a wonderful time to be alive, so live it up, make good choices, and enjoy yourself!

"I always tell the girls, never take it seriously. If you never take it seriously, you never get hurt. If you never get hurt, you always have fun. And if you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends."  - Penny Lane, Almost Famous