Friday, September 6, 2013

Just about two weeks ago, I set of on a new journey, a new life. Before college not much had ever changed in my existence, I went to the same school for fourteen years, lived in the same house for nineteen years, and have had pretty much the same friends. On August 24th just the day after my nineteenth birthday all this changed. I left my hometown, my family, and all my friends to move up here to little Salem Virginia. Going from the flat ground of Virginia Beach and Norfolk to the mountains of western V.A. alone was enough change. As you pull in on move in day it hits you, this is my home for the next four years. I looked around and saw this little brick college campus right in the middle of this small mountain city, and as strange as it felt I knew this is now home. Getting ready for college emotionally is nearly impossible. Very few people have been away from home for more than just summer camp, and even after those four or six weeks you still end up going back to the same life you had before. College is a time to explore new things and make all new friends, and that can be stressful.  Luckily there is always something to do here, whether it’s going to parties, sporting events, or exploring Main Street with new people. Everyone on campus is excited for a new school year and willing to help you with anything you need. The cold mornings and hot afternoons make it a little hard to get dressed for class, but it’s not a far walk anywhere on campus. One of the hardest adjustments of college, just in general, is all the free time and how to spend it. It’s so easy to waste it watching TV or just hanging out with all your new friends, but It needs to be for studying because after all you are a full time student. It is extremely possible to do all your work and maintain a good social life. With all this change it will take time for adjustment, no one is going to be able to dive right in and automatically be 100 percent comfortable, but leaving your comfort zone means growing as a person and that’s one of the many goals of college.

6 comments:

  1. Gosh, this is such beautifully written that it nearly brought a tear gently rolling down my cheek

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  2. I agree leaving home is a challenge for everyone and college is something everyone has to adjust to. I like how you mentioned that leaving your comfort zone means that you are growing as a person. I agree 100 percent. College is a time for new things and the only way to find new things is to leave your comfort zone.

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  3. You crack me up! Now be sure to leave one more comment on one more blog NOT your own!

    Great topic, though: I particularly felt like I knew what you were feeling when you described the small town and the brick buildings. That brought it all home to me. Next time, could you maybe narrow, though, and talk about one particular thing, like how it can be hard to study when your friends are goofing off, or something like that? Just tell a story about a particular evening or day or whatever.

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  4. Very nice! I am extremely able to understand how it felt like when you left your home for maybe the first time. This is also my first time every to be out of my city in Palestine, and I therefore know how stressful it is to be in another place, with different new people, and experience a variety of novel assignments and duties. For me, I am experiencing a new language, society, education system and climate, and I believe that this is the fastest way towards growing up as a well-rounded, well-educated and independent person.

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  5. I feel the same about the mountains, they're pretty and everything but it's weird seeing them everywhere you turn. The climate is weird too, no matter what you wear to your morning classes you end up having to change because it's so much hotter. But I am glad it's not as humid here! Not being home was hard to get use to but at the same time I feel like I've been waiting to leave for ages.

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  6. great post great post. I agree its gonna be hard to balance school, sports, social life, and sleep. But i know you can do it! just remember that studying is more important than partying!!!!

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