First week of college: Disorientation Week

Friday marked day five of me being at college. I arrived in Durham on Monday afternoon extremely excited to get onto my campus. On Tuesday morning, I took a taxi to campus and moved into my dorm. With enough space for even a third person, air conditioning, massage chairs located in the first floor of my building, I quickly fell in love with the place I am to live for the next school year.

My roommate, a student who I had met at a Latino recruitment program, welcomed me to Durham and made me feel a bit more comfortable. We walked around the campus and I was truly and deeply surprised at how my life has instantly changed and how much change I must now adapt to.

Although I had anticipated college oh-so- much and could not wait to leave, I began to recognize that California, my home state, is an absolute paradise, especially my hometown of San Diego. Why? Well, don’t palm trees, clear blue skies, warm weather, and a breeze sound quite attractive to you? They sure do to me! By the first few days of orientation week at Duke, I was definitely overwhelmed by the differences of the west and east coast. I felt extremely homesick and yearned to be back in my sunny state known as California.

My workspace for the next year

All the different cultures, faces, wardrobes, and interests of the many people I have met these past few days have overwhelmed me. Although the freshman class here is quite small, not even a mere two thousand students, I feel like I am almost lost in a sea of students. I come from a relatively small high school where the majority of the students had known each other for as long as seven years. Trying to find my place here at school has definitely been a challenge. Trying to seek out people who think the same things are funny and have the same way of thinking has actually been a real difficulty.

To be completely real and honest, I began to doubt my decision of being so far from what I knew. I began to think about what college would have been like to stay close to home. The transition might have been easier, I wouldn’t have missed my parents, brothers, and friends as much, and maybe I might have felt more at “home”. I began to think that maybe my parents did have a point in trying to convince me to stay closer to home.

Classes start Monday and I am one of the few who are actually ready to begin the school year. Being in a classroom setting and talking to people on a more personal level sounds so appealing to me at the moment. I want to find more people who I feel comfortable and happy around. I want to find my identity in this place. And I am in the process of trying to do so.

Although I do miss home and being comfortable all the time, I am sure this is what going to college across the country feels like. You are unsure, awkward, scared, sad, but excited for the future.

My beautiful dorm!

I have always been an optimist and in this case, I have to be an optimist. I can’t complain about my beautiful dorm, campus, and sincerely nice people I have met here. Nor can I complain about the motivation my school has given me when it comes to academics. I must “springboard into my future with confidence” as my academic advisor said. I plan to do just that.

With orientation week not even over, I have already been challenged in many different ways but I know it’s just the beginning. Many more struggles await me but at the same time much more fun and excitement are also on the horizon as well.

So today, I will leave you with a saying: “Winners don’t quit and quitters don’t win.” I have never been a quitter and I do not plan to be.

Please keep reading my blog as I continue blabbering on about my college experience! There will be plenty more to come!