College Move-In: Freshman Year
I'm here and it doesn't really feel all that real. My roommate and I were discussing how this feels a bit more like summer camp than it does anything else.
It. was. a. day.
Woke up at 4:15, packed the last of my stuff in the truck, said my final goodbye to my friends (shoutout to friends who get up at 5 am to come see you off) and then we started our journey to campus. If you know anything about Houston or being near Houston, it's that the humidity is real, it's no joke.
Before I knew it we were in the room, furniture was being moved around (shoutout also to amazing parents) and we were decorating and trying to make an empty room home.
Our space is super tiny but we made it all work and I'm proud of how turned out. We have a giant window which is actually really nice and all of the things we planned worked out.
My family took me out to dinner and then headed out. It was when the silence set in that it hit me that I was here and it wasn't the best feeling if I'm being honest.
But, from what I've heard and experienced the first night is the worst. Which it's understandable right? Think about it, you are in a new place, a new home, nothing is familiar, and no matter how much you planned you couldn't plan for how you would feel about it at the end.
But, we have already had a little adventure, yes the first night, we had just settled in for the night. We were ready to maybe watch a movie and just decompress after such a long day, but nope that wasn't going to happen.
I looked up at our window and saw ants running along the top of it, and I'm not talking about 1 or 2, no they were all over.
Facetimeing my parents commenced and then we were in the car heading to Wal-Mart in hope of a solution.
We found that they have scented Raid (we picked lavender if you were wondering) and then a $20 mini vacuum, that I then may have gotten so freaked out that I threw it away.
Hallee also picked us up some ice cream to heal the emotional trauma from such an event. But, I am happy to report that there are ants no more and I think we handled our first dorm living problem fairly well.
Classes start in three days and until then we are just adjusting and learning the ropes of being here.
Oh, our shower is so small that I feel like a giant and the water doesn't know the concept of warm but besides that we're fine.
So if you haven't moved in yet, then here is a few tips from yours truly to help:
1. Not Everything Will Go/Work the Way you Thought It Would.
When it comes to my space I have a hard time being content with it. I over plan and can get easily frustrated if things start going wrong. This experience taught me a lot about accepting things and just being alright with what doesn't go exactly perfect, because nothing is ever perfect.
2. Have Patience.
It can be easy to get worked up, I know you will be stressed trying to get everything together but everyone with you is just trying to help and want to help. So remember just breath it's all going to be alright.
3. Stay Busy
One of my good friends told me this. It's so true. Staying busy will get you distracted and stopping that feeling of loneliness. Today our day didn't stop until about 11:30 at night and I didn't have time to be sad or feel out of place.
4. Goodbyes aren't for Good.
My parents woke up to texts from me saying how much I missed them and how this wasn't what I thought it would be like. But, I have to remember it's not like I'm never going to see them again, it's just a season it'll pass.
5. Talk to your Friends back Home.
I had many of the pep talks last night from my favorite people, which ironically enough made the hurt a little more, when I remember that I was a couple hundred miles from them.
6. Bring Surge Protectors.
Like, seriously bring surge protectors. We have three outlets in our whole room and if we were stuck with only that nothing would be charged or working and that just wouldn't do.
7. Moving stuff upstairs sucks.
This isn't really a tip just an observation, but if you're lucky you may get some really helpful volunteer move-in helpers, who are a huge blessing.
8. Making Friends Seems Daunting.
This is actually what really scares me about this whole process, making friends shouldn't seem like such a task but let me tell you it does, like for real. But, I'm trying.
9. Print Small Pictures.
I did this before I left and it was really inexpensive, I'm talking under $5, but you can go to CVS and pick the option to print mini's and then pick the option with 4 pictures. Then you can just cut them apart and have mini polaroid size pictures.
10. Leave Your Dorm Room Open
You'll meet people you never would have if you had left your door shut. You may even get some laughs that you didn't see coming.
It. was. a. day.
Woke up at 4:15, packed the last of my stuff in the truck, said my final goodbye to my friends (shoutout to friends who get up at 5 am to come see you off) and then we started our journey to campus. If you know anything about Houston or being near Houston, it's that the humidity is real, it's no joke.
Before I knew it we were in the room, furniture was being moved around (shoutout also to amazing parents) and we were decorating and trying to make an empty room home.
Our space is super tiny but we made it all work and I'm proud of how turned out. We have a giant window which is actually really nice and all of the things we planned worked out.
My family took me out to dinner and then headed out. It was when the silence set in that it hit me that I was here and it wasn't the best feeling if I'm being honest.
But, from what I've heard and experienced the first night is the worst. Which it's understandable right? Think about it, you are in a new place, a new home, nothing is familiar, and no matter how much you planned you couldn't plan for how you would feel about it at the end.
But, we have already had a little adventure, yes the first night, we had just settled in for the night. We were ready to maybe watch a movie and just decompress after such a long day, but nope that wasn't going to happen.
I looked up at our window and saw ants running along the top of it, and I'm not talking about 1 or 2, no they were all over.
Facetimeing my parents commenced and then we were in the car heading to Wal-Mart in hope of a solution.
We found that they have scented Raid (we picked lavender if you were wondering) and then a $20 mini vacuum, that I then may have gotten so freaked out that I threw it away.
Hallee also picked us up some ice cream to heal the emotional trauma from such an event. But, I am happy to report that there are ants no more and I think we handled our first dorm living problem fairly well.
Classes start in three days and until then we are just adjusting and learning the ropes of being here.
Oh, our shower is so small that I feel like a giant and the water doesn't know the concept of warm but besides that we're fine.
So if you haven't moved in yet, then here is a few tips from yours truly to help:
1. Not Everything Will Go/Work the Way you Thought It Would.
When it comes to my space I have a hard time being content with it. I over plan and can get easily frustrated if things start going wrong. This experience taught me a lot about accepting things and just being alright with what doesn't go exactly perfect, because nothing is ever perfect.
2. Have Patience.
It can be easy to get worked up, I know you will be stressed trying to get everything together but everyone with you is just trying to help and want to help. So remember just breath it's all going to be alright.
3. Stay Busy
One of my good friends told me this. It's so true. Staying busy will get you distracted and stopping that feeling of loneliness. Today our day didn't stop until about 11:30 at night and I didn't have time to be sad or feel out of place.
4. Goodbyes aren't for Good.
My parents woke up to texts from me saying how much I missed them and how this wasn't what I thought it would be like. But, I have to remember it's not like I'm never going to see them again, it's just a season it'll pass.
5. Talk to your Friends back Home.
I had many of the pep talks last night from my favorite people, which ironically enough made the hurt a little more, when I remember that I was a couple hundred miles from them.
6. Bring Surge Protectors.
Like, seriously bring surge protectors. We have three outlets in our whole room and if we were stuck with only that nothing would be charged or working and that just wouldn't do.
7. Moving stuff upstairs sucks.
This isn't really a tip just an observation, but if you're lucky you may get some really helpful volunteer move-in helpers, who are a huge blessing.
8. Making Friends Seems Daunting.
This is actually what really scares me about this whole process, making friends shouldn't seem like such a task but let me tell you it does, like for real. But, I'm trying.
9. Print Small Pictures.
I did this before I left and it was really inexpensive, I'm talking under $5, but you can go to CVS and pick the option to print mini's and then pick the option with 4 pictures. Then you can just cut them apart and have mini polaroid size pictures.
10. Leave Your Dorm Room Open
You'll meet people you never would have if you had left your door shut. You may even get some laughs that you didn't see coming.
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