Adjusting to College

I knew adjusting to college life would be hard but it's more bizarre. Going from six classes a day to five classes a week wasn't as big as a transition as I thought it might've been. It's the same amount of work and I'm still at Starbucks every single day doing my homework.

The biggest challenges is the sleeping and eating. I tell this to my high school friends all the time . You will forget to eat. I have been up since 9:30am and it is now 5:00pm. I forgot to eat today so when I got to Starbucks I had a piece of coffee cake. That has been it today. I don't do it on purpose. I just forget!

Additionally, the sleeping is different.  When I'm not doing homework or eating, I'm sleeping. I have never slept so much in my entire life. But the thing is, I'm always tired. It's like as soon as I got to college I turned into an infant. I now have to sleep 11 hours a day in order to be aware and alert. And after that 11th hour, I am still tired. Literally it's so weird.

Another change has been the social change. I actually have to go out and hang out with actual people. Everyday I am very surprised at how much I socialize. In college, you have no choice. You are constantly surrounded by students and people. There is no escape like there was in high school. You can't just leave the building and instantly feel a sense of relief because you can get away from it for a bit. You can't go to your room and sit by yourself and not have any contact with anyone. Because in college, you are always at school. That's DIFFERENT! You aren't always in class but you are ALWAYS at school no matter what. There is no getting away from it for a bit. Also, you have a roommate or roommates OR A WHOLE GREEK HOUSE OF PEOPLE. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I love my roommate, my friends, and my sorority, but trying to get away from the constant socializing and sit in isolation for a second is VERY hard.

Something I have found helpful is being able to find a place on campus where I can sit in peace. For me, it's a bench in the botanical gardens. I don't tell anyone when I'm there and I decide to go spontaneously. I go sit, I think, and I reflect. That's my me time. Until it gets interrupted by the Kung Fu class that feels the need to practice there. I also don't know what I'm going to do when it snows but hey, we'll cross that road when we come to it.

My adjustment to college was about the little things. I didn't cry of homesickness, or wish I was home in my bed. I never agonized over the fact that all of my friends are spread out across the country. I have just been concerned with eating, sleeping, an socializing. All in all, I feel i have adapted to my new habitat well and look forward to future endeavors in the EL.