New Me?

If I had to rate college using a scale from 1-10, I would give my college experience an 8. Coming here I had no idea what to expect, but things turned out to be better than I could have ever imagined. First, I love my roommate; we get along perfectly and she has turned into one of my closest friends, even like a sister. It makes living on campus so much easier because I know that I have her even though I cannot see my family or friends from home often. Having her as my roommate, time seems to move quickly because of how enjoyable it is. Aside from the relationships I have made, there is a sense of freedom and personal development that I have discovered here at college. I can take any classes I want, flexibly manage my time, and I can enjoy the independence that comes with making my own decisions. I have found that I do much better with my studies when I do not have the stress of overbearing parents and high-school teachers who watch my every move. There is so much to appreciate about my college experience.  

However, there are still a few disadvantages. The food in the cafeteria is bad. There are rarely any fresh or healthy options. Whenever I see them preparing the food, it either comes from a can or out of a bag from the freezer. There have also been multiple occasions when the chicken is still raw or has the feathers still connected to it, there is hair in the food, and the dishes are not clean. On top of the unhealthy food, my residence hall is very loud; my roommate and I struggle to fall asleep some nights because people are stomping or screaming. Along with the noise, the residence hall is also very dirty. Always smells of cigarettes, garbage, and spoiled food. Although there are a few downsides to this new lifestyle, I am happy with the new me and I am prepared to watch how things unfold in the next four years.