A freshman-type of sophomore year

As I sit on my couch in my brand-new apartment with the balcony door open, it is easy to reflect on how different life is today. As a freshman last year, college was an offbeat experience, to say the least. Online classes made it hard to learn, and modified versions of just about everything made it even harder to meet people and make friends. It’s almost strange to me to visualize where I was then versus where I am now, not only through living situations and friends I have made, but just simply how life as a college student really is.

Walking outside Monday afternoon for the first day of classes was honestly a shock. I had never seen so many people walking around campus, so many people waiting to cross the street, and not to mention so many people in one classroom. I noticed myself immediately feeling overwhelmed, but in a good way. This was something that I had yet to experience in my life as a college student, yet something I was so excited to embark on. It was odd to see 400 people in my econ class, and almost even more odd to see the Student Center Starbucks line so long.

Such a small change in something that used to be so normal made such a large difference. Now, because of that, it made me have a whole new perspective on life. As things change and slow down just as they did this last year and a half, it was easy to forget the simple things. I feel so content being able to roll out of bed in the morning, make a cup of coffee and walk out on my balcony if I so wish. Walking out to feel the morning air and the (extremely) loud sounds of Lexington, or even just trying to get out of everyone’s way walking to class has brought an instant smile to my face. This is something so simple, yet at the same time, I feel as though I completely forgot how to do it, making me realize just how much I enjoy these things.

It is easy to forget the happiness you feel about things that are usually taken for granted and the happiness they truly bring. For me, this was starting to see life reappear. Life reappearing in college, life reappearing in people all around campus, but more importantly, that life reappearing in myself.

This is just the beginning of a freshman-type of sophomore year.