y sophomore year; it was the perfect fit. A small residential college in the middle of nowhere, small classes, small campus, small world... just like the place I was leaving. But on the five hour ride from Harvard, Illinois (a tiny town in Northern Illinois), I questioned my decision.What if I don't like it? What if I don't fit in? What if I'm too homesick? What if... What if... What if...
But I could not know until I arrived. Because you never know until, this... until that... always the same... just waiting... because you can expect, predict, assume, but you just can't know until you get there.
I loved it. I fit in. It was indeed the perfect fit. Granted I've had my share of 'moments' with my roommates. I've been homesick. And the first couple of weeks I felt like I didn't belong anywhere. But before I knew it, I had made friends, I had settled into a routine, I had formed a respectful relationship with my roommates, and I had even had some 'adventures' in Decorah.
As the first person in my family to go to college (I have an older sibling, and two younger sisters)my journey has been a little harder than I anticipated. But I survived my first two months at school. I wrote my first college essay, I chose my major (as of right now Social Work), I took my first college midterm, I survived the caf food, I joined a few clubs,
I fell off my bed, I went to some parties, and somewhere in there I even found time to do some studying. After being away for two months, I returned home for Fall Break. Only to find that my brother had taken over my room and even though I did not want to believe it, life had continued without "oh-so-very-important" me.
Now it's November, and I already have a countdown until Thanksgiving(which conveniently happens to be my birthday... *Yay! for birthdays!* )and I just can't wait to go back. This time when I go back home, I'm ready to kick my brother out of my room, and this time I'm ready because I know what to expect.And when I get back to campus I know what not to touch in the caf., I know what my prof. is looking for in an essay, and I'm perfectly at home on this campus. But see, if I would have never left, if I would have been too scared, maybe then I would just have never known.
-Until next time...
Adriana
Adriana
3 comments:
It is more than complicated to explain why... but I found myself in your short introduction to Luther College. I live two rooms away from you, and it is honor to have you so near to me and read about the experiences you had so far at this place. It is a great reflection of how not only you but also I feel about being here.
Adriana,
I really enjoyed seeing these comments. First of all, whenever one goes to a new place, there are feelings like the ones you talked about, e.g. Will I like the place?, Will I fit in?, Will I achieve my goals?, In short, Did I make the right decision? These concerns can intensify but they can also disappear if you give yourself a chance to contribute. When you connect, to your interests, you can make friends, have fun, stay motivated and be successful. At the Diversity Center, I see so many students who have the same concerns. I'm so proud of how they are dealing with them and you are a fine example of what I'm talking about.
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