Friday, August 31, 2018

Change


In the weeks, and later, the days, leading up to my arrival at Ithaca, I felt myself becoming increasingly more anxious about starting what I would consider the greatest change of my life. Thoughts of uncertainty plagued my mind. Would I like my roommate? Will I like my professors? Will I be able to handle my course load? Despite all of the negative hypothetical scenarios that were constantly running in my head, I kept an open mind, and as I began to think about how beautiful the campus was, and remember stories from friends and family who have attended Ithaca in the past, anxiety transformed to anticipation.
In the week that I’ve been at Ithaca, almost all of my concerns have faded. My roommate and I get along well, and we have a lot of overlapping interests. My courses seem manageable and I really do have ample amount of time to complete any work that I need to. It really is close to a perfect situation.
When I hear stories about how friends from home are poorly adjusting to their college lifestyle, I’m imbued with a sense of pride. Of course I miss my family, having my own room, and being in an overall more familiar living situation, but I have an immense appreciation for the amount of freedom and independence I have as a college student. With increased independence comes increased responsibility as well. I understand why some can become frustrated because of it, but personally, I love it all so far.