Among the piles of cardboard boxes and brightly colored, twin-XL sheets was a mix of excitement and nerves for a new experience. College, which was once this distant aspiration, was suddenly a tiny residence hall bedroom shared between three barely-adult girls, and a campus promising education, activities, and memories.
I can’t say these promises weren’t kept in the three years I’ve spent at USF St. Petersburg.
The first semester was as stereotype-ridden as the Pinterest boards and movies make it out to be. Late night Walmart trips, all-nighters with a red Solo cup or pot of coffee for moral support, scoping out campus organization meetings to mingle with fellow comic book nerds, and frozen dinners were staples of my freshman experience. I tackled Macroeconomics with frightened vigor and kept an attentive ear open for those keywords to study for the next Monday’s exam.
In the first four months, I began to see a shift in my identity. I was becoming the person I’d always wanted to be.
I was always Amanda Starling, and I still am. I’m still wearing my Star Wars Vans, obsessed with words, and skeptical of how my socks disappear in the dryer. But freshman year, I tried things for the first time. I experimented with study groups, filled with new faces and ideas. I stumbled into downtown restaurants for a taste of authentic Asian cuisine and admired colors that popped in an innovative art scene. I bonded with peers that shared the same journalistic passion as me for the first time in my life. I wrote articles for my college newspaper, The Crow’s Nest, and learned that maybe the makings of the college experience wasn’t as clean-cut as it seemed. I thrived.
The first semester sets a pace for how the rest of your college career can be. A semester of partying could send you home. A semester of obsessive studies could, too. Overexerting your body, mind, and sense of self can be overwhelming for anyone, much less a college student. Some of us are still new at this whole “take care of ourselves” business and as a result, we neglect things like health and sanity.
Don’t lose yourself in hours locked in the library or nights intoxicated beyond comprehension. Frozen dinners and Wendy’s trips are not part of a balanced diet. Find your mismatched socks and wash them, too. Take coffee breaks from your studies with your roommate and pick up a book instead of binge-watching Netflix. Experiment with the unusual and expand your cultural palette. Be balanced and don’t let the culture of college shock you.
You have four years in this limbo state of adolescence and adulthood. Use your time wisely. Find yourself among the books, the best friends, and the brand new adventures that await.
