My Journal

My First Week on Campus

August 30th, 2019

- It's been much too long since I've written. I started new entries but never finished them because I've been so caught up in my new routine here on campus. I started my sophomore year of college last Sunday, and it's been...interesting.

- To start, I have no close friends, and I've been a bit lonely. I had one close friend last year, but our friendship ended on an awkward note. For the first few days of this week, therefore, I walked alone, occasionally spotting my former best friend walking with her new best friend. Those were definitely awkward encounters.

Thankfully, I made two friends. We aren't what I consider close, but we go to events, eat meals, and walk to class together, which is a great start. I've also made connections with peers in my classes, even getting a few of their numbers. Friendships take time, so I'm in no rush. I'm excited to see what my new connections grow into.

- My classes are interesting. I'm currently enrolled in Child Psychology, Sociology, Statistics, and Literature, and I need to enroll in one more class to stay on track for graduation. Statistics is by far the most difficult course. In the Statistics lab, we're learning how to code in a language called R. I have no experience with coding, so I have been struggling tremendously, but I believe that I can master the material with enough dedication and practice.

- I'm proud that I've been leading a healthy lifestyle here. I eat a variety of foods at the dining hall (green beans, spinach, edamame, rice, noodles, chicken, steak, salmon, sweet potatoes, apples, and watermelon to name a few), I work out at the gym, I sleep seven hours each night, I apply and reapply sunscreen everyday, and I keep my dorm tidy. I've been feeling so much better as a result. I'm no longer feeling fatigue and short of breath, probably because I'm getting all my vitamins from my food.

- Overall, life on campus has been pretty good. It can get stressful, but it's manageable. I'll do my best to post updates more often. There's much more I could've shared in this entry-and so much more you could've learned from my experiences-but I don't like to write so much in one sitting. I'll do my best to document my experiences in more detail the night after they occur.