Author: Garfield

Since I have been in college for about two and a half months, I have been through lots of changes in my life. It has been quite an adjustment moving here from home. I have felt very homesick. I walked into this college experience with a big ego, thinking “Oh, I can do this on my own. I don’t need my parents or anything or anyone.” In contrast, now I go home almost every single weekend. I learned 

(Brunel University, London) quickly that independence won’t come within days of being away from home. You will always have a place at home, even when you feel out of place at your campus. Home seemed so stressful a year ago, but it is now a breath of fresh air in my hectic life. I used to hate the rules and authority my parents forced upon me, but now I have honestly grown closer to my family because it is a treat to see them. Their rules I can now push aside for a weekend and relax without the cloud of college stress looming over me. 

Another thing incoming freshmen should be aware of is to be careful with everything. Everyone here isn’t your friend. You’ve only been here for a short amount of time. If you think someone is your friend, they might not be. Trusting people can be a difficult thing to do, and giving trust to someone so quickly can be shattering when it all goes down negatively. Your studies should come on top of everything else, even if it doesn’t feel like it. It isn’t successful to finish homework for another class in the class you have before it. Managing your time and watching who you trust are another important hindsight I wish I had known before I started college. Picture

Life currently is almost as stressful as it has ever been. The workload is picking up. I have to now constantly be on top of things. I feel like if I relax for even one second, I suddenly have missing assignments and a failing grade in two of my classes. I can’t even sit down and watch an episode of my favorite television show or watch a movie without feeling like I have some assignment I forgot about looming over me. I try to make myself available as often as possible and spread my time out evenly, but the anxious thoughts are always barging in and making me not feel like I am doing enough or anything at all. 

The workload has now also affected my social life, as I am now seeing my friends less and less. I always try to make time for them, but sometimes I feel like they don’t want to see me anymore. I don’t know what I’ve done. I try so hard to be a good friend. I don’t complain about gas when we all go out. I buy them things when they are short on cash. I care about stupid arguments with boyfriends, rants about their jobs, and small trivial events in their lives when they can’t care about one small thing in mine. When I ask what is wrong I am met with cold, brief answers that leave me questioning what I did wrong. I don’t know if I like what my college life is turning out to be anymore.

Ever since I left home, my life has exceeded my expectations. No more nagging parents, annoying siblings, and curfew. The reality of living on my own can be tough, but personally, I have thrived within it. The freedom college has given me is one I could have never dreamed of. Staying out as late as I want, leaving dirty dishes in the sink, and having the autonomy to do whatever I desire are some that I only dreamed of in high school as I sat alone in my bedroom, ignoring my mother yelling at me to do my homework. I am now my own person and enjoy freedom more than anything else in the world. 

Along with freedom comes my ability to do practically whatever I want. I have made so many great friends so far. Sure, we’ve been here only a little over a month, but the memories I have made have been some of the best times in my life. Driving on the highway with the wind flowing through my hair, laughing into all hours of the night about something stupid, and bonding over tough assignments have given me some of the best memories and experiences anyone could ask for. I’ve only known my friends for a short time, but it feels like I’ve known them for a lifetime.