I'm in college and it feels so weird. I had to leave on Thursday, the 19th and it was depressing. The hardest of all [no offense to my family or friends, saying goodbye to you guys was difficult too] was definitely saying goodbye to my baby girl Chesney.
I mean have you ever seen a more perfect dog?
nope.
Before i left, i ran back to her about three times. It was just really sad. I think she knew i was leaving because she was being really affectionate and then when i was packing and getting ready to leave she avoided me. I felt so bad.
I got to UF and it was really over whelming at first; parking, unloading, unpacking, etc. I got really stressed out. The first night I got that one feeling, the feeling where you just want to go home but you know you can't and you're nervous because you're in college and you feel kind of sick because of the classes you have to take, that's how i felt. The feeling lasted for about 30 minutes and then I was happy to be on my own.
The night before classes, i think i changed my schedule about six and a half times [1/2 because i was about to add a class i just dropped but decided not to]. Honestly though, i think i have changed my schedule the most out of the entire UF freshmen class. I've gone from Graphic design to Advertising to Health Science, from chemistry to biology, and from mass media to intro to health sciences. It's been overwhelming, but if i can just get my bio lab to a tuesday morning i think my schedule will be perfect.
I got lost on campus a couple of times, but luckily i had my camera on me so i was able to take some photos. The campus is really pretty. I can't wait to see it during the winter, i bet it's so nice.
College Day One.
I went to bed last night with my roommate reminding me that i needed to check my email because some of our professors had sent out assignments, i did and two of my professors requested that we print the syllabus and bring it to class, but i didn't have a printer and i felt bad asking my roommate to use his because it was about 20 pages all together. Lucky for me:
(1). My first class was at 11:45
(2). I have a car
(3). Target Copy will print most class notes for some $$
So i woke up, got ready, and left to get my notes. Because i no longer have a phone i decided to pick up a watch [which was a LIFE SAVER today] and made it back to my dorm to grab something to eat and head to my first class.
My Psych teacher looked like she just rolled out of bed and decided to come teach today. She has lots of rules and projects and assignments. I felt sick thinking about all the things she was going to make us do, and then she gave us a reading assignment! I don't even have a book yet?! VOMIT.
Pre Calc was fun. I arrived twenty minutes early because it looked like a longer walk on the map i was using, but as i was walking up i saw my roommate walking up the other side walk - we have the class together. Our professor is chinese and it was funny listening to all her pronunciations of certain words as she was explaining the syllabus. The class doesn't seem to hard [maybe because i took Calculus in High School] so i'm excited. When we got into the lecture for the day [real / irrational numbers aha] she pronounced the word "negative" as "nekked" which sounds like "naked." So naturally every time she would say "nekked number" everyone would laugh or smile.
"whats a naked number?"
i'd rather not be able to understand her and she be really nice, than have her be a competent and a real witch.
Immediately after math i have biology. The day before classes i marked on a map where all my classes are, well for biology i marked the wrong building - so i was walking around the building i had marked for a good fifteen minutes, asking people,"do you know where biology is?"
Luckily this morning i wrote down my class room numbers and buildings on a seperate sheet of paper, so i looked at it to check that i was in the right place - i wasn't. The bio building was right next to the pre-calc building, so i walked/ran to the bio building and then it started to rain. So i arrived sweaty, wet, out of breath and late. i just sat down on the steps and started to take notes. The teacher was strict but seemed nice. I asked her if bio was okay for me to take as a freshmen [because a lot of kids have been telling me not to] and she said some students struggle and some don't, despite what they took in high school, so basically she was NO help at all. - but i'm sticking with it.
*crossing fingers it was a good decision*...and then the day was over!
First impressions of college
1. stressful
2. scary
3. i think the amount of walking i'm doing each day is good preparation for a marathon
4. Professors are intimidating
5. easy to get lost
6. never hungry [got that meal plan - freshmen 15 here i come!]
oh and i got made fun of twice already. NOT COOL.
1. First because i was handed a fraternity post card invitation while walking for dinner and at the bottom it said "men join fraternities, but leaders of men join Delta Epsilon." so i laughed to myself - at the exact moment a boy and girl were passing and the boy said, "did you see that kid laughing to himself?" So naturally i, turned around - and they were staring at ME! i was like, "what?!" [in my mind]
2. The second time was today [my first day of classes] and in between psych and math i had a free period so i went to get some lunch. i kept my back pack on so i wouldn't have to leave it at my table and risk someone stealing something inside it [yes i sat alone...] but the lines were really long, so i got one course meal at a time. Pizza, then a sandwhich, then potatoes, then cake - each time taking my plate to the dishes cleaner and getting a new one [there are millions of plates so it's ok] and on my exit on my last dish the kid sitting with all his super cool friends said "have you guys seen this guy walking back and forth with all his stuff, bringing his food down each time?" i just stopped, literally stopped. i wanted so bad to go back and say- i don't know what i would've said, that must've been why i kept walking and just left.
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| [this is the view outside my dorm window] |
so what did i learn today
1. in calc: how to make an infinite decimal into a fraction [never knew you could do that, it only took me to get into uf to learn how]
2. the biology building is right next to the calc building
3. when you make fun of someone make sure they are clearly out of earshot before you do.
uf rocks!
So basically I loved reading this.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, let me tell you how MY first day of college went:
I wandered around for forever trying to my find my first class (It was in Turlington's basement...it's like that place is intentionally made to confuse the crap out of freshmen). My next class was the next period, and I had fifteen minutes to get to the animal science building...all the way on the vet college campus. I was going to catch the bus to ride down there but I missed it, then stood outside Reitz to get the next one when it started pouring because it's Florida and God hates me. A million people swarmed me and I missed the bus again. So I went inside the union and sat until my next class started, then went back to my dorm room and cried. The end.
Aww, tomorrow is our fantasy lunch day.
Other things:
1. I was so sad when I had to leave Asher. I would call home and make my mom put the phone up to his ear so he could hear my voice. People you can talk to, facebook, they get it. Dogs don't understand. Even now Asher gets really worried when I leave him. He'll stare at me so sad and run to the door and wait. Dogs don't have an accurate perception of time passing either, so they don't get it.
2. How many credits did you come in with? You should be fine with 2000 level classes. I took AP Bio my senior year and got a 4, but still had to take BSC2010 because a 4 only got me Bio for Non-Majors. Did you have IB Bio? (Did I make that up?) We used the exact same book in college that I used in AP Bio, which was nice. The concepts aren't too complicated, it's just intense because your grade is three tests, so basically a million pages to remember for each test. I got a B but I never went to class and didn't study and instead just pulled all nighters the night before so if you get scientific concepts (also BUY YOUR BOOKS or at least go look at them in the store so you can look over the material before drop/add and see if it is completely foreign/complicated or familiar and learnable) and aren't a procrastinator you'll do fine. I would worry more about the Bio Lab, that was one of two classes that I got a C in in college, it is VERY specific, what with classification and body parts and such. So don't underestimate that class just because the "textbook" is a thin little spiralbound thing.
Love you! You can do this! Just breathe! And go to gator nights, and institute, and try new things, and talk to people.
Also, my comment was almost as freaking long as your post what is wrong with me.
ReplyDeletethanks sapphire. i'm sorry about your first day, it was fun to read about though. i'm glad you liked my post. I'm super nervous about bio, i'm definitely not underestimating it. and the lab...vomit. i'm nervous for that too now. in HS i took ib chem [there is an ib bio, you didn't make it up aha] you said to buy the text books, what about renting them? should i not do that? thanks for the advice, i'm definitely going to get involved.
ReplyDeleteI loved this Max! I seriously need you to get a phone though, it is impossible to reach you otherwise. I don't think either of those stories warrented you being made fun of (by the way). Plus, you have cool glasses now.
ReplyDeleteRent or buy, it doesn't really matter. There will eventually be books that are good references that you might want to keep for more than just the semester. I never rented though. I liked finding books on Amazon and the thrill of getting cash during buyback, but also I got a book stipend through Bright Futures, so back in the day things were a little different.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't get nervous! Just be prepared.
i dont even remember my first day. this is hilarious. max it is going to be okay! not everything is going to go perfectly but that is life. it never goes according to plan. i wish you would have turned around and said something to those kids to make them feel dumb. like "didnt your mother ever teach you manners or were you raised by a pack of dementors?" haha jk but seriously.
ReplyDelete