College is full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and an occasional loopty-loop thrown in for good measure. You might be a current college student who is experiencing motion sickness on the roller coaster that is student life. If you recently graduated, you are savoring the sweet carnival treats that live at the end of your memorable and overpriced (both college and carnivals) experience. Maybe you are a college professor reading this paper to “keep up with the haps” on campus. Perhaps you’re a parent or family member of a Stevens student. Even if you have no affiliation with Stevens, haven’t experienced college first-hand, and are very out of the loop, you still most likely know that college is a big adjustment. Anyways, you get my point: college is a lot.
It’s not shocking that the sudden shift from full-time child to independent-mini-adult with no money or connections can be a lot to handle. Suddenly, I went from experiencing typical teenage worries like “does my hair look good today?” to having much stranger concerns like, “are people going to think I’m weird for washing an entire collection of mugs in the bathroom sink this morning?” By the way, based on my experience so far, nobody actually cares about what you are doing, even if it would have drawn attention to you in high school. People in college just want to get out of the communal bathrooms as soon as possible.
A few weeks ago, I was texting my parents each and every time I got into a car, making sure they knew I did not get into a tragic accident on the way to the store. This system resulted in extensive strings in which our conversations would read “I’m here,” and “leaving now,” repeatedly until the pattern was broken by something like “you forgot your calculator on the kitchen table.” There was almost no need for other messages because most days I returned home, and would update them in person. Now, I text once or twice per day and sprinkle in the occasional phone call.
College is kinda wacky when you really think about it. It’s like all of the safety nets around me dropped the day I arrived at college, released from the invisible hand that kept me trapped like a fish in a small plastic bag, definitely from a sketchy pet store if it doesn’t come with some air holes or something. But then again, I know as much about fish as my parents know about my whereabouts. I could be in another country right now, and my parents would only find out if they made the four hour drive from Rhode Island to New Jersey, snuck onto campus, evaded the line of police cars guarding the street in front of Babbio, and broke into my dorm. Although, I suppose the breaking and entering are not exactly necessary since my roommate would likely let them in assuming they are from the school doing some sort of room check. Anyway, there is no cause for concern. I am, in fact, still in the lovely town of Hoboken, breathing in the stale air of a dorm room as I type this column.
Regardless of whether I am capable of escaping to another country, it seems completely unnecessary. I have all of the freedom I could ever want right here in this town, and plenty of new people to explore it with.
Mind of a Freshman is an Opinion column written by one or two first-year Stevens students to discuss life experiences during their time at Stevens, and other related subject matter.
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