Off To College

You’ve seen it everywhere in product ads, clothing stores, even supermarkets. Family, friends, teachers, even strangers approach kids, inquiring about it. Here it is: Back To School. People of all different ages are getting ready for the first day of school. Some kids are starting at a new school, and the transition from elementary school to middle, or middle school to high school can be very scary. However, for some of us “older” folks, we’re jumping straight into the unknown. I just turned eighteen, which means I can enter the lottery, get tried as an adult in court, and finally go on pbskids.org without parental permission. I’m kidding about the last one, I never got parental permission to begin with.

Eighteen brings in lots of new challenges. Taxes for one, which are inevitable and completely unavoidable because the IRS is terrifying. Most of us are being pushed into something new, and that too is terrifying. Some of us branch off to vocational schools, some start working full time, and some, like me, head off to college. And, regardless of how far away you’re going, it’s a big change.

The weirdest thing for me right now is wrapping my head around the fact that I won’t be in the same school as any of my friends. My best friends are off to start their lives, one is going to Ithaca College, one’s off to Holy Cross, and another is going to RISD. They are all very smart, so I know they'll be great, but it’ll be weird not seeing them at lunch, or in the halls. I’m off to Clark University in Worcester (also known as Woostah), the only one from my class. One of my best friends will be about a ten minute drive from me, so I’ll be bothering her a lot (probably much to her dismay… love you Olesya.) However, we’ll all get together over break, and keep in touch as much as possible to see how life is going.

We’re not just leaving our friends behind, but our family. Whether we’re a short drive away or a plane ride away, some of us will no longer be living with them. And, for those of us with pets, we’ll be leaving our furry (feathery, scaly, etc) friends behind, unless of course you have a fish or a pet rock. Leaving your family can be really difficult, and even with all of the new and exciting things at college, you can get homesick. Before you leave, if you aren’t living at home, make sure you have a solid means of face to face communication, whether it’s through Skype, FaceTime, whatever suits you.

High school and college are very different, or so I’m told (and often reminded by others). You’re on your own in the deep end. You have to do everything yourself, and on top of that you have to share your room! As an only child, that might be the weirdest thing for me to get used to. My roommate is a guy named Anas (yes, he’s a guy and I am a girl,) and we have pretty good communication with each other so I think we can manage, but it is a huge transition. Hopefully, class schedules allowing, I’ll be able to get some nice me-time in for school work, gaming, reading, naps, or just some moderately peaceful silence.

If you or someone close to you is heading off to school: good luck! I wish you the best grades and I hope you meet some great people. As for me, wish me luck too. I’ll miss Rhode Island, but I’ll be close by!

AeJee, we wish you all the best for future success anb will miss your sense of humor around the offcie. Don't be a stranger! ~All of us at the Reporter