I sat here in this very spot in my room, eying the boxes lined up against the wall, each with its contents carefully labeled. I let my gaze travel over the room I had grown up in... memories flickering through my mind's eye. I knew in those moments that a chapter of my life was coming to a close, and that a new one was about to begin. What exactly it would contain I could only guess at, and my imagination was filled with dreams and ambitions for my very first year of college. I remember the nervous excitement, the doubts and the fears, but most of all I remember feeling ready.
I'll never forget that last night before I left for school. We were staying at the Casebolts', and all the other girls were already long since asleep as I lay there staring at the ceiling. Worrying. Wondering. Praying.
And so, the curtain closed. My life was about to change, and I knew I would never be the same.
The next morning, I was the first one awake. I gathered my things together as quietly as I could, then helped my dad carry all the suitcases and boxes out to the van. When we got to the college, time suddenly jumped into hyperspeed. Those first few minutes are a blur of memories... rain soaking the ground, someone offering to help carry boxes, my dad and me walking into Sutton. I received my key at the door... and headed down to the basement.
I remember the moment as I stepped into my room for the first time. I looked around me... and a whirlwind of emotions swept over me. It's small. It's dark. It's dirty. And yet, somehow even then I knew...
... this could be home. Many hours were spent unpacking, organizing, and decorating our little room. Sharon arrived mid-afternoon, and it was all a bit chaotic as many helping hands tried to work in such a small space. But by night, a sense of order was finally realized, and my new roommate and I fell gratefully into our new beds at. It was 11pm, and FC: Day One was tackled.
The next day was Sunday. It was the day I began to connect the names with the faces of my new cellar-dwelling friends. Ekioma and Amanda at the end, Ruth Ann and Nicati, Rebekah and Stefanie, Hannah, Ariel and Audrey, and our suitemate, Elizabeth. It seemed overwhelming, and I wondered how I would fit in with all these girls who already seemed so well-settled in our new home.
But then again, there was that one girl that seemed to like wearing various odd accessories such as suitcase straps....
I relaxed a little. Perhaps we'd all get along after all.
... this could be home. Many hours were spent unpacking, organizing, and decorating our little room. Sharon arrived mid-afternoon, and it was all a bit chaotic as many helping hands tried to work in such a small space. But by night, a sense of order was finally realized, and my new roommate and I fell gratefully into our new beds at. It was 11pm, and FC: Day One was tackled.
The next day was Sunday. It was the day I began to connect the names with the faces of my new cellar-dwelling friends. Ekioma and Amanda at the end, Ruth Ann and Nicati, Rebekah and Stefanie, Hannah, Ariel and Audrey, and our suitemate, Elizabeth. It seemed overwhelming, and I wondered how I would fit in with all these girls who already seemed so well-settled in our new home.
But then again, there was that one girl that seemed to like wearing various odd accessories such as suitcase straps....
I relaxed a little. Perhaps we'd all get along after all.
Orientation began, and I attended long, dry sessions one after the next, same as the other freshmen. With each session that passed, I became more at ease in my new surroundings. Learning about what I was getting myself into was scary, but also relieving. Now my questions finally had answers. I felt more like a collegian now, shouldering all the new responsibilities. There were places to go, people to see, and a strict schedule to follow. I could do that. And it felt good. Strange, but good.
(To be continued....)
No comments:
Post a Comment