Coming back from Fall break was hard luckily my roommate is also my best friend from home. Transitioning back to school from being home wasn’t as difficult because I had her and she is someone I associate home with.  

I register for Spring semester classes on November 1st at 7 A.M. which I am not looking forward to waking up for but I am excited because I will be a second-semester college student.  I am dreading having to take Spanish 110 but that is a requirement I need to graduate and I would rather get it done with early.  I am a little worried about next semester because the classes I am planning on taking are much harder than the classes I took this semester.  I am not a math person and it is something I am not strong in but unfortunately next semester I have to take statistics.  Juggling a language and a math will be a struggle but I’m hoping I will be able to manage.  

My experience being in a smaller school has been great so far.  My classes are no bigger than 20 students and I like that because then you can ask more questions in class without 50 other students also trying to ask like the bigger school Sarah goes to.  I also feel like it’s been easier to make friends being at Longwood whereas going to a big school like Sarah I would struggle more.  

I feel like being away from my best friends has honestly broughten us closer.  We talk almost everyday and obviously I miss them like crazy but it makes breaks seeing them more special.  Going on break is something I look forward to because I have been very homesick but the transition back to school from break is very hard.  I get very comfortable being home and not being able to stay sucks.  Although during break the hardest part about being away from Longwood is missing my college friends.  I think being away from Longwood for an extended amount of time will be good for me because I am homesick but I will also be missing my college friends.  

As I return to Longwood after the Fall break, I find myself having similar experiences to Sarah’s experiences. The transition back to campus is both familiar and jarring, at home I’m surrounded by comfort and routine, while returning to my dorm means I must adjust back to the busy and often overwhelming environment of college life. Sarah’s struggle with her roommate and the dynamics of living together resonate with me as I navigate my own living situation. Like Sarah, I’m preparing for upcoming midterms and registering for next semester’s classes. This can be both exciting and stressful. While I feel fortunate to have a supportive academic environment at Longwood, there are still aspects of college life that still feel new and intimidating. Sarah’s experience at a large university highlights the differences in our educational settings. Longwood’s smaller campus fosters a close-knit community, which allows for more personalized interactions with professors and peers, contrasting with the vastness of Sarah’s school. As I reflect on my friendships back home, I recognize that some distance has formed. Though I cherish those connections, the demands of college life make it challenging to maintain the same level of communication. With two breaks approaching, I wonder how I will feel away from Longwood for an extended time. Stepping back into my home life is comforting but also brings a sense of uncertainty about returning to school life afterward. Ultimately, reflecting on these experiences helps me plan for the remainder of my freshman year, focusing on finding balance between home and school, nurturing friendships, and embracing the changes that lie ahead.

Fall break was a great time to be at home with family. I got to home visit my farm and get ready for the upcoming hunting season. Considering I didn’t come back to a dead fish, returning to school wasn’t so bad. Since it isn’t my first year I’m used to going home and being ok with coming back since I come and go frequently. I feel ok with being back especially since I don’t have a roommate, but I did really miss my friend who used to be my roommate since we usually see each other everyday. There are plenty of event coming up to look forward to as well so that eases my mind too.

Speaking of events coming up, class registration is one of them. I have to get up bright and early at 7 am on halloween just to make sure I get the classes I need. I have my classes planned out so I know what I need to take. Being in the business program, many of my upper level classes are blocked off until I take accounting. So that class is a must in my schedule. I also have to fulfill some civitae requirements as well. Not many things feel brand new here , I feel like I’m pretty used to stuff. At the beginning of the semester I was nervous to eat alone but now I realize everyone does it and it gives me a little time to call and catch up with my sister.

My experience at a smaller school compared to the main characters bigger school are probably pretty different. At a big school there is lots of things to do and many places to go outside of school. Here in Farmville we are relatively limited. However, compared to my old school this is really big, so I am really enjoying all of the options of things to do.

I don’t really find myself drifting from my friends at home. I have a few really close friends as opposed to a lot of acquaintances who I am not as close to. So with my friends being more like family we are way past the point of drifting. The kid of friends that you only have to talk to once a week but you know you are still friends in the end are the best kind. You don’t have to wonder if they have forgotten about you, there is a mutual understanding that you are both busy so you don’t need to talk as much.

The breaks approaching aren’t really any different for me. Like I said Im home almost every other weekend. It’s a pretty regular thing for me especially with hunting season coming up, but I’m sure being home will be just as great as it always is. The holidays are coming up so that means pumpkin patches, family time and here soon Christmas trees and decorating.

Coming back from Fall break was hard luckily my roommate is also my best friend from home. Transitioning back to school from being home wasn’t as difficult because I had her and she is someone I associate home with.  

I register for Spring semester classes on November 1st at 7 A.M. which I am not looking forward to waking up for but I am excited because I will be a second-semester college student.  I am dreading having to take Spanish 110 but that is a requirement I need to graduate and I would rather get it done with early.  I am a little worried about next semester because the classes I am planning on taking are much harder than the classes I took this semester.  I am not a math person and it is something I am not strong in but unfortunately next semester I have to take statistics.  Juggling a language and a math will be a struggle but I’m hoping I will be able to manage.  

My experience being in a smaller school has been great so far.  My classes are no bigger than 20 students and I like that because then you can ask more questions in class without 50 other students also trying to ask like the bigger school Sarah goes to.  I also feel like it’s been easier to make friends being at Longwood whereas going to a big school like Sarah I would struggle more.  

I feel like being away from my best friends has honestly broughten us closer.  We talk almost everyday and obviously I miss them like crazy but it makes breaks seeing them more special.  Going on break is something I look forward to because I have been very homesick but the transition back to school from break is very hard.  I get very comfortable being home and not being able to stay sucks.  Although during break the hardest part about being away from Longwood is missing my college friends.  I think being away from Longwood for an extended amount of time will be good for me because I am homesick but I will also be missing my college friends.  

Dear Sarah,

I hope you know you are not the only one who must adjust to college. My first week of classes was rough, too, having to find time to do all my homework and still find time for myself. You will find out quickly in the first week if the major you pick wasn’t meant for you. I dropped a class my first week, so I do understand the struggle. Because the first week of move-in consisted of hanging out with everyone, and the dorm was always clean, for the reason that no one had classes yet. Rather than now, everyone has multiple classes a day, and everything just gets messy. I try my best to clean my room at least every other day, but you can ask my roommate. I’m just a mess, and the dynamic you have with your roommate is me and mine. My roommate wants to join a sorority and all these clubs, and I want to I just haven’t taken that next step yet. But something I can relate to you from my first week of classes: it’s so much easier to make friends in college. All you have to do is relate with them on something, and then they are one of your new best friends. But one thing that never gets easier is living in a new place without your family or past friends from home. You went home and got to see your family. Mine was flipped; my parents came down here for a family weekend and they brought my dog. It was a feeling of security in a way because calling them isn’t the same as having them in front of you. I wish I could tell you how excited I am to see my friends back home next week for fall break. But one thing you need to remember is that college is building you into the person you need to become it’s always going to be an uphill battle, and it’s not supposed to be easy.

As Sarah recently started class, she was already feeling that her brain was going into many different directions with different emotions. Sarah had a very similar view on the first week of classes as myself. I remember sitting there and listening to everyone around me just like Sarah did. When Sarah got back from classes her and her friend Maddy were talking, Sarah asked if she stalked her on social media, and of course she did because that’s what we do. I did the exact same thing, but I did this with my suitemates since I did not know them in person. I feel that many people did and still do this when they first meet someone. When Sarah picked up the phone from her friend back home and Maddy immediately wanted to say hi, it reminded me of calling people from home. My roommate is a childhood friend of mine, so we both share the same friends. It seems to me that when one of us is on the phone we are both on the phone. Then, Sarah was talking about missing her friend and she can not wait to see them soon. I relate to this, because I always look forward to seeing my friends at home when I go for the weekend. When Sarah met “photo guy” in class, and he told her that she looks like she knew her way around, she was confused and mentioned she had not figured out the bus routes. Thinking back to the first week or so of school, I was so lost on when the bus was coming and where it was going as well. Sarah went to the dining hall just like myself, and her thought was why was the dining hall so good then, but not now? This explains me and how I feel about the dining hall here at Longwood. As Liz and Sarah were sitting on the bench thinking about missing their dogs all I could think about is how I miss mine. Even though missing my dogs and family is upsetting it just reminds me of all the good times we have when I am home. Reading more in the story, Sarah mentioned not feeling good and then Maddy saying everyone is getting sick is such a true statement here at Longwood too. My suitemates got sick, so we all got sick. Finishing reading all the pages, I noticed that mine and Sarah’s experiences are similar, but also different at the same time. I think it’s fascinating to know that I am not the only one feeling this way, but so many others as well. 

Freshman Year by Sarah Mai is a relatable book to me in so many ways. This book so far has made me feel the emotions I went through while moving to college once again. I first related to Sarah when she came home after graduation and asked herself if that was it, because after my graduation I asked myself that same question. The realization that I was about to start my college journey hit me that night, I was now an adult. Though I was already an adult, I still did not feel like one and the realization that I was starting my independence journey dawned on me.

One scene that stood out to me was when Sarah was on a family trip and told her mom how she was stressed about everything, took me back when I was preparing for my college move in. I planned how my summer was going to be like, me doing everything I needed to do for college and my personal life. I wanted everything to be perfect, which I learned the hard way that nothing is perfect. I had planned to go skydiving with my friend, but my expectations were shattered, because my friends and I had schedule conflict and were not able to hang out much. I did get to spend quality time with my family, which brought me joy.

When reading I noticed similarities between Sarah’s mom and mine, especially in the shopping scene where Sarah’s mom overbought supplies. When shopping with my mom she often wanted to buy things I did not need because she didn’t want me to miss home too much. It was funny to see her worry more than I did, even though I was the one moving away. I particularly related to Sarah’s mom when she mentioned how her mother drove her nuts but was happy to go home in thanksgiving, because I cannot wait to go home during fall break to see my mom and eat her food.

Another scene was how Sarah’s room was mess from packing. It reminded me of how I procrastinated all summer and started pacing days before my moving day leaving my room in a similar state. The emotions Sarah was going through when Finn and her drove to the corn field was something to which I could relate. I felt like I was moving away and never coming back, even though I knew that was not true.

On moving day, my mom was in full “mama bear” mode, giving me a talk on the dos and don’ts and thinking of every possible scenario that could happen to me. So, I can relate to Sarah siting through her father telling her things she should do and not do. Overall, I find many similarities between Sarah and myself and I look forward to seeing what more we share by the end of the year.