I am not a big fan of change – it would be accurate to say it’s one of my least favorite things. Coming to college meant tons of new things to work through (unfortunately, for me). However, as I look back at my almost two years here at CNU, I can easily see now how integral all that upheaval and change was to growing me as a person. For example, freshman year, I came in with a random roommate assignment. We emailed each other somewhat over the summer, but the first time I met her was move-in day (a little nerve-wracking). Imagine getting dropped off by your parents and simultaneously trying to say goodbye to your childhood, all while realizing you’re going to be living with a complete stranger for a whole school year. Fortunately for me, my random roomie turned out to be the perfect fit! Who knew you could have so much in common with someone you had never met? As the school year progressed, we kept finding things we both loved, from TV shows and movies to books and online memes. After just a few months together, we were pretty close friends and regularly planned roomie movie nights and Chinese takeout dinners. I know not every freshman who goes random gets matched with someone he or she is actually compatible with, but there is definitely hope! I am just one success story – my freshman roomie and I are still best friends. So, example one: LK faced change head on by living with a stranger and ended up with a wonderfully rewarding freshman year (by the way, I do tend to refer to myself in third person at times; I think it’s fun).
Another big change I was not looking forward to (just because I didn’t know what to expect) was transitioning from high school classes to college classes. I had heard all the stories, and I imagined myself staying up until four in the morning every night doing homework, writing 10-page papers for every single class I would ever be in, and being called on to answer  questions in front of a ginormous lecture class. Thankfully, these fears turned out to be unfounded. First, because your classes are split between days, there is automatically built-in time to finish homework and various assignments before deadlines. However, it is completely up to you as to how that time is spent. For example, if you nap away your free afternoon and then watch episodes of “The Bachelor” until midnight, chances are high you will be up past four finishing work. Second, not all classes have huge research papers as a final project. Many do have paper assignments, but the length and content varies greatly. Plus, depending on your major, you may not be writing too much anyway! Lastly, CNU has generally small classes – my largest lecture class has hovered around 100 students, which is a far cry from what my mind imagined classes to be like. In most of my classes, my professors know me by name and are completely gracious about asking students questions. Once again, another transition that seemed difficult at first, but quickly became routine.
I could name numerous other changes, big and small, that I have faced in the past months. And, I could also assure you that each and every one has been altogether worth the awkwardness and uncomfortableness. With the CNU community behind me, it has been increasingly easy to face changes and overcome them. And now, I can honestly say I am excited and ready for the changes these next few years will bring my way!
