Craziness Back Home

           One thing that is missing in college is your family unless you decide to live with them instead of in a dorm or apartment. Although you can talk to them on the phone it is not the same as actually being with them. You'll even miss out on some pretty crazy things while you're gone, especially if you have younger siblings. I sure have missed out on a lot but one of the most shocking moments I missed out on was when my sister missed me so much she tried to come visit me. I live about 40-60 minutes away by car so imaging my 9 year old sister on her Barbie scooter trying to figure out where my college is, is quite scary. She had sent me some adorable letters but nothing could compare to this.

            It was a Saturday morning, around nine o’clock, and I received a phone call from my little sister. She told me how much she missed me. She also told me how she snuck my mom’s phone while my mom was still sleeping and how she planned to return it before she woke up. Through the course of this phone call her voice seemed to be cutting out for some odd reason so I asked if she was speaking into the phone correctly since she is only eight years old. She told me she was so I asked where she was at in the house and she told me she was in her bedroom. I pondered over why the connection was so poor because usually it is just fine but I shrugged it off. After I got off the phone with her, I got dressed because my grandma was coming to visit.

            After my grandma and I went around town exploring and getting to know where everything was better, she went back to her house. We had a great time even though we were interrupted by weird calls from my mom’s phone. We would answer and no one would say anything but I figured my mom’s phone must be spazzing out or she was butt-dialing us. I would have never guessed what those phone calls were for.

            My mom called me later that evening to inform me that my sister had called me while she was walking outside, which explains why the connection became poor throughout the conversation. Not only was she outside, she was going down the road that my parents took to take her to come up to visit me one afternoon. My mom said she went really far and was gone for about four hours without them knowing. My mom was sleeping and my step-dad noticed the door was unlocked but thought nothing of it. She spent a lot of time walking and calling us, along with watching people fish and swim at the lake a couple miles away from our house.

            Luckily nothing happened to her and she did not go any further than she already did. Prior to this eventful Saturday, she had ridden her bike all the way to the high school that I used to go to because she hoped I would still be there somehow. Hopefully the next time she gets the idea that she wants to come see me, she will wait until my parents get up then ask them. It was a very crazy story to hear but also very heartfelt and sweet. I now believe that I have one of the sweetest sisters there possibly can be.

ON MY WAY TO COLLEGE!: Please Welcome Special Guest Jose Luis Landeros

ON MY WAY TO COLLEGE!: Please Welcome Special Guest Jose Luis Landeros: The Importance of Time Management By Jose Luis Landeros There is nothing worse for a student in this world than to have a due dat...

Navigating Around Campus

            From figuring out what buildings your classes are in to shortcuts on how to get to classes, there are many things that could occur. You could potentially be late to your classes on the first day, maybe even the first few days, since some campuses can be pretty big. DO NOT STRESS OUT THOUGH! Try to go with a friend, roommate, parent, or even just by yourself to discover where your classes are. There’s usually about a week or so before classes start after you move in so I would try to use that time to figure it all out. I went with a friend and probably made a fool out of myself trying to find the buildings. I live on a pretty big campus so that is no surprise, especially since I am horrible with directions.

            There’s also some nicknames, lingo, or slang for different places usually. For my college, Wescoe Beach is one of those funny places. Wescoe is the name of one of the many buildings on campus and there’s a big space outside that people call “the beach.” It is basically just a place with some benches and plenty of space for people to talk about different events, advertise, preach to students, etc. I was so clueless my first week that I told someone I knew where Wescoe was but that I had no idea where Wescoe Beach was. Don’t get me wrong, I knew it wasn’t a real beach but for some reason it didn’t click that it was actually just the area outside of the building. You will definitely embarrass yourself at some point but that’s totally okay.

            The bus system is another fun adventure on a large campus. For my college there are a ton of different buses that will take students a billion different places on and off campus. You have to make sure you get on the right one or you’ll be on quite an adventure. I have yet to get on the wrong bus so far because I know one bus that will take me to my classes and my dorm and I stick with it. There’s usually bus route pamphlets at different places on campus and you’ll even probably get one when you move in. I got mine in a little care package in my dorm on move-in day.

            Overall, just stay calm and try to get it all squared away before your classes actually start. Professors probably won’t be too strict on being late that first week but it could be embarrassing if you come in late. Try to get a map of the campus if you can too but look over it before you actually are walking or on the bus because you don’t want to look like a tourist. Also, don’t be afraid to go on crazy adventures in case you get lost. It might be a little nerve wracking but it could be a great way to figure out different short cuts to get to class or even just a place to go to relax on some stressful days. 

Move-In Day

           Those first steps into your dorm room are moments you will surely remember. I hadn’t met my roommate yet so it was a surprise to see her for the first time among all the other commotions of movie-in day. For some students, this day can be pretty hectic because of all the unknowns. Navigating around campus for the first time can be confusing depending on how big your school’s campus is. It can also seem like a fairly long day with all of the things you have to do in one day. Students who are coming from a different state have a lot of driving to do on this day on top of the rest of the moving in processes. Luckily, I live fairly close to my college so the drive was not much of an issue for me. Something I would recommend doing is packing everything in boxes or bags that go together. For example, pack all of your bedding items in one bag and all your toiletries in another so that everything is organized when you need to unpack it all. This will help the move-in process move much faster so you are not organizing everything for hours instead of just enjoying your new dorm.

            Saying your goodbyes to your family is very important but I suggest making sure your room is set up how you want it before you let your parent(s) leave. My room was a disaster when I moved in. My bed was sticking out almost in front of the door and the desk was between the wall and my bed so that there was no way to actually get into my desk. The only way to get the room to look decent and to be functional was to loft both of our beds which took a lot of work. We had to all pitch in to get both beds up and move everything around so that our room was more functional. During all of this craziness, I was meeting my roommate for the first time.

            We were both pretty shy at first but nothing was too awkward. We helped each other organize the room and we both had similar ideas so there was no issues with anything so far. This is usually how everything starts out though. Another thing that starts out one way and usually changes is the setup of the room. The floor I live on has low ceilings compared to the other floors in my building so the lofted beds were a hassle at times. We could not sit up in our beds because we would hit the ceiling and oftentimes we would hit it when we were just adjusting our blankets. Towards the end of the first semester, basically everyone on our floor was having a construction zone for a room for a day because we all decided to help each other unloft our beds and figure out a way to make it work. That is another story though…

The Big Change

           If you could wake up one day and change anything about yourself, what would it be? Personally, I tend to struggle with being able to talk to many people and put myself out there. I shy away from many events or parties because I am too shy and reserved. After moving into my dorm room at the University of Kansas, that all changed. I gained this newfound confidence with which I carry myself better. Instead of being a total loner, I have actually made some new friends and acquaintances.

            I had talked to my roommate a few times over the summer so when we got to meet in person, it was not as awkward and it was much easier to talk to each other. Unfortunately, she does not enjoy doing many things so we do not see each other often because I will be somewhere or when I am back at our dorm, she will be somewhere else. This seemed like a bad thing but it turned out to be something I have grown to appreciate. We both get to have alone time in our room at some point throughout the day and it also allows us to get to know other people as well. The floor we live on is amazing because everyone is so kind and easy to talk to.

            So far I have gone to lunch and dinner with a few of the girls on our floor and our wonderful RA every day. I have surprisingly made a ton of new friendships that I hope will last throughout college and even beyond college as well. Another girl on my floor has actually had a similar experience with her roommate so we have bonded over that and have become extremely close. During Hawk Week, I met a ton of new people by actually attending the many events that were held throughout the first couple of days. I let people get to know me much faster than I usually do by showing my quirky side. Some of the bonds I made with people really helped me to feel better about myself and realize that I do not need to hide away and be so introverted.

 If I had not changed, miraculously overnight, then I would be stuck in my room lonely and bored. It has also taught me to appreciate any hardships life throws my way. I would have never gotten to know my floor-mates as well as I have so I would have been going to eat alone for the majority of the time. Luckily, I changed and blossomed into the person I have always wanted to be. Of course there are still some aspects of outgoingness that I still need to work on but I am confident I will get there someday. Hopefully the rest of college will be uphill for me, except for maybe in literal form.