The Final Blog Post
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 opportunity to attend Northeastern and study abroad and all of these experiences were immense learning curves, I know that and I am very appreciative for these opportunities. But at the same time I can't help but think about what I have missed out on if I had the "traditional" start to college so many other students before this year had. It seems like I've had to make 1000 large transitions in a short six months and as far as becoming an independent young adult, I'm not quite sure how far that is coming along considering I'm currently at home doing chores given to me by my parents and being told constantly to study for finals and do my homework and being given tv restrictions.
Even with all that said I still think that all the negatives come with positives and vice versa. Although there were moments in Greece where I found myself frustrated being so far from home and that I might be missing out on college, it was such an incredible experience that was eye opening and unlike anything I have ever done before. I was able to travel to destinations that were only my wildest dreams before like Santorini, I bonded with so many amazing people and created deeper relationships because we were all in it together. I learned and saw so much while being immersed in a new culture, like who knew I'd be able to add Greek to my learned languages while studying in Greece (not even close to fluent though), most certainly not me that's who. As far as our current situation, it has just made me appreciate everything and everyone a lot more.
There were so many moments in our short time together that are now some of my favorite memories to look back on: late nights or early mornings in Greece, liming on the boardwalk, sitting in the quad on 50 degree and above days with my friends, embarrassing myself in zumba classes, getting playa bowl and pavement bagels, raiding Wollaston's and "stealing" IV cookies for Friday night movie nights, and of course the laughs in english class.
I think this whole experience has taught me that I take advantage of so many things around me, even my day-to-day life. This will be one for the books. For the record, if my kids come to tell me how bored they are one day in the future, I will hit back with the "Back in 2020....". That being said, I hope you are all doing well and staying relatively sane.
Thank you all for (the short) but very sweet freshman year, I look forward to seeing you all on campus in the fall.
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 opportunity to attend Northeastern and study abroad and all of these experiences were immense learning curves, I know that and I am very appreciative for these opportunities. But at the same time I can't help but think about what I have missed out on if I had the "traditional" start to college so many other students before this year had. It seems like I've had to make 1000 large transitions in a short six months and as far as becoming an independent young adult, I'm not quite sure how far that is coming along considering I'm currently at home doing chores given to me by my parents and being told constantly to study for finals and do my homework and being given tv restrictions.
Even with all that said I still think that all the negatives come with positives and vice versa. Although there were moments in Greece where I found myself frustrated being so far from home and that I might be missing out on college, it was such an incredible experience that was eye opening and unlike anything I have ever done before. I was able to travel to destinations that were only my wildest dreams before like Santorini, I bonded with so many amazing people and created deeper relationships because we were all in it together. I learned and saw so much while being immersed in a new culture, like who knew I'd be able to add Greek to my learned languages while studying in Greece (not even close to fluent though), most certainly not me that's who. As far as our current situation, it has just made me appreciate everything and everyone a lot more.
There were so many moments in our short time together that are now some of my favorite memories to look back on: late nights or early mornings in Greece, liming on the boardwalk, sitting in the quad on 50 degree and above days with my friends, embarrassing myself in zumba classes, getting playa bowl and pavement bagels, raiding Wollaston's and "stealing" IV cookies for Friday night movie nights, and of course the laughs in english class.
I think this whole experience has taught me that I take advantage of so many things around me, even my day-to-day life. This will be one for the books. For the record, if my kids come to tell me how bored they are one day in the future, I will hit back with the "Back in 2020....". That being said, I hope you are all doing well and staying relatively sane.
Thank you all for (the short) but very sweet freshman year, I look forward to seeing you all on campus in the fall.
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