Northeastern First-Year Writing (Sec 72)

Growing up, you hear a lot of things about college: from how it's going to be the most fun time of your life, to how difficult the work is going to be, to how hard it is to live on your own for the first time, to how great the freedom is, to how nasty communal bathrooms will be. In fact, you hear so much about it that you create this fantasy world in your head of what it’s all going to be like, and you become excited about this new frontier that you’ve yet to explore. For—at least—a year of your life all you ever think about is how magical college is going to be and how you’re going to hit the ground running. That is until you get there and you’re all unpacked, and you watch from your dorm room window as your parents pull off of Hemenway Street and begin to make the 250-mile trek back home to New Jersey you think to yourself, “I don’t feel any different than I did the day before.” It’s incredibly likely that it’s only because I’m just a weirdo who thinks their life is a Spike...

My first year of college was very unconventional, to say the least. My college journey started across the globe in Thessaloniki, Greece, and ended full circle back at home in self-isolation taking online courses. Going abroad was an experience I will never forget. I met some of the best people who I will be friends with for life and got to travel to amazing places with them. I learned how to live independently in a foreign country where English was not the first language and make my way across the globe by myself. Coming back to Boston, was another change. I had to adjust back to the American lifestyle, and learn about Northeastern campus life. Whether it was learning about my different sponsors of literacy or connecting with students at the EMK, I learned so much in and outside the classroom.  I will always remember the different places I traveled to during my freshman year. I got to witness so many new and exciting places, meet new people, and learn what it is like to be a stu...

There were so many unconventional things about my freshman year of college, but so many of them I would never change. The most memorable moment of my freshman year was spending the first half of it in Greece and it will definitely be something I will remember. This was a great learning experience, not only academically, but personally. I was able to meet some of my best friends and even though I have only known them for less than a year, it feels like we have been friends forever. I definitely learned how to live on my own, which was definitely a learning experience, considering it was in a different country. I had never been away from home without my parents for more than 3 days, so even just waiting that 27 days until they came to visit was hard at first, I was able to fully emerge in the Greek culture and make the most out of my time there. Then, came Boston, which I thought would give me the normal college experience that everyone was talking about. And, although at first it did,...

I am not the happiest about how my freshman year turned out.  I would have ideally done my semester abroad any other semester than my very first one, and I would have really liked to have finished my second semester actually in the classroom.  Although this year was hectic for many reasons, I would not have changed the way that things turned out. One thing that I learned is that I am simultaneously very good and very terrible at moving.  I have had to move in and out of dorms twice now, and since receiving the news from my family that we are moving to Helena, Montana this summer, I have done a significant amount of packing since I arrived home.  When it comes to the process of moving, I am an even blend of both of my parents: my dad has been boxing things up everyday like a maniac, and my mom feels accomplished after sorting through one book shelf. My style of packing is very quick and efficient, but almost always out of necessity.  Although every time I ha...

I can't believe my freshman year of college is almost over. A year ago I was a senior awaiting graduation and now I can say I am (almost) one year into completing an undergraduate degree. Reflecting back, it has been a wild journey. I recall the moment I had when learning I was accepted into Northeastern and the flood of "what ifs" that followed with thoughts that raced through my mind. Uncertainty consumed me. I didn't know whether or not to take a risk and commit to the N.U.in program, or continue in my comfort zone and enroll in a college nearby me in California. Then, I remembered a quote during one of the leadership camps I would attend over summer that said, "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." All it took was for me to read those 9 words and I was set. From then on, I approached the circumstance of having a non-conventional first year of college with my chin held high. Nevertheless, I would be lying if I said missing a fall semester on cam...

To say this past year has been a crazy one is an understatement.  I have grown so much over the past year.  From going to Greece, then spending a few months at Northeastern, and now being at home studying for finals.  It has been one crazy year.  It’s difficult to put this year into one blog post because so much has changed. I’m so thankful for the people I met during the NUin program and at Northeastern, who have helped make this year an unforgettable one.  I’ve seen so many places that I only dreamed of seeing, and have countless memories to go along with them. My semester abroad gave me so many amazing friends and experiences and taught me so much.  I gained so much independence, learned how to plan trips, navigate airports and bus stations, time manage between social life and school, and I learned a lot about my own potential.  I never knew I was so adaptable, open minded, and able to handle such a big transition.  Through this experience ...

This has been a very unusual freshman year, and one that I will never forget. When thinking about the most memorable part I had a hard time choosing. Both going abroad and then being quarantined due to a global pandemic are something that I will never forget, but for very different reasons. From Greece, I will remember embarking on a crazy adventure to go live in a foreign country. I will remember living in a run down hotel, and taking long walks and lime rides on the boardwalk. I will remember figuring out how to travel alone, navigating airports, train stations, and bus stations in languages I didn't understand. I will remember the feeling of freedom and sense of really living life. And then of course the complete opposite. I will remember being kicked off campus due to a pandemic. I will remember all of the stores being shut down and being stuck at home. I will remember having to wear a mask and gloves to do simple tasks. I will remember the horrendous head lines of the overcr...

Overall, I think it’s safe to say that this year will be extremely memorable for all of us. This school year started off being stuck at home with nothing to do besides work. This is because Greece was scheduled to depart later than all the other programs. So, my semester kind of went full circle in that sense. My first semester of college started off in a foreign country. I didn’t know anyone at first and I was really scared, but it was the best three months of my life. I will never forget the memories we made while in Thessaloniki, Greece. I challenged myself academically while also traveling all over Europe. Although I have traveled to parts of Europe before, this was completely different. It was my first real sense of independence. Not only did we see the most beautiful cities, but we also saw many realities of these countries that aren’t highlighted. In Paris, my close friend got his phone stolen out of his hand on the metro. Before the doors closed, we began chasing after the...

I think the obvious first thing to mention about this bizarre past year is my NUin experience. I will remember every bit of my experience in Europe for the rest of my life as some of the best four months. Most of all I will remember traveling all over Europe. Some of my favorites being Munich, Lisbon, and Paris. Getting to go abroad for my first semester is something that I could have only dreamed of. Before going to Ireland with the NUin program, I had never been to Europe, but I desperately wanted to. Another thing that I will never forget about this year is my first semester on the Boston campus. I will always remember my countless trips to cafe crossing, my classes, volunteering at EMK, and most of all exploring Boston with my friends. I will never forget walking down Huntington for the first time, eating in Dim Sum in Chinatown, the rock climbing club, or my first dorm experience with my Boston apartment.  One thing I learned in this past school year is how to survive inde...

It's hard to believe that it has already been over a month since the outbreak hit and all university campuses shut down.  While our freshman year at Northeastern hasn't been considered normal, it certainly has been an interesting journey.  From our humble beginning in Thessaloniki to our eventual demise in Boston.  Looking back, I've certainly had a number of amazing memories and met some incredible people.  Even though I didn't want to initially start my first semester abroad, I ended up having a unique and fun experience that few others will have the opportunity to have.  The fact that next year the NUin program will only be comprised of four locations, including NUin Boston, makes me even more grateful for having the opportunity to study in Greece.  My favorite part about studying in Thessaloniki had to be meeting new people.  I met a lot of locals when I was going to visit all of the local gyms which taught me a valuable lesson in making friends an...

The best way to succinctly describe my freshman year of college is: a year I never saw coming, but will always remember. The way I imagined college was literally nothing close to what actually happened. I envisioned myself staying in California for the next four years in university, joining clubs and an orchestra, and all the rest that comes with leaving home for adolescent freedom. It is safe to say that most of what I just listed did not happen apart from getting a taste of adolescent freedom only to have it taken away midway through the school year. Instead I decided to not only choose a university across the country, but chose to accept the condition that I would have to fly across the world and spend three months in Greece first. After the first semester abroad, January came around and I was east coast bound only to be west coast bound two months later and back to living with my parents. I feel like I need to express the fact that I am incredibly lucky to have had the opportunit...

There are a number of reasons this year was unconventional for Northeastern students, specifically NUin. Our entire first year of college was a bit abnormal considering that we went abroad in our first semester then only spent 2 months in Boston before getting sent home thanks to COVID-19. I’m still unsure if we’ll be on campus in the fall considering that other schools are waiting until next spring to open, but I think that’s a bit too premature to say. I think the one key thing that I could take from 2020 is that I can never have too many backup plans. 2020 was already a weird year for me because I’m in the process of moving from the town that I pretty much grew up in for most of my life. I think if I wasn’t moving the quarantine would be much more tolerable, yet I could be dealing with significantly worse problems. It all comes down to preparation and making sure I always have a plan B.  I am the type of person who likes being in a routine and organized, so when I had about 3 ...

After I saw this prompt I took some time to reflect on the past year of my life. I realized it from the beginning but I really did have an abnormal freshman year of college. I honestly wouldn't change a thing because I am so appreciative of everything that has happened - y'know, besides the quarantine. Even before school started I knew I wouldn't have the same year as the rest. In a typical freshman year people just move in on campus in the fall and make friends on campus but I didn't start that way. I started in Thessaloniki, Greece and immediately started living on my own in a foreign location with a language I didn't speak. Changing location for school is one thing but also going to a place where you're a complete foreigner is another thing. It was not only different but it was also an experience I will never regret. Not all people can say that they studied abroad in the first semester, but I can. I am so happy that I got to travel some of the world while be...

My first year of college was nothing ordinary. To start I spent the first three months of my first year in Greece. Not a lot of people can say that (almost everyone in this class can but that is besides the point). I had a very unique experience being able to immerse myself in a different community and understand different cultural values. Greece was definitely an eye opening experience with lots of turning points and lessons in my life that I will carry throughout my entire life. While there were times I was homesick or annoyed with being so far away I wouldn't have changed that experience for anything because I grew up a lot. I had to learn how to live alone in a whole other country. While in Europe I took so many wonderful trips to different parts of Europe and saw so much beauty. Mykonos, Athens, London, Milan, Hungary and more. I was able to go to some really cool places at 18 years young with some pretty amazing people. Being in Greece definitely taught me to just live life a...