Alyssa

Congrats on starting college, it’s really an exciting, confusing, scary, but wonderful experience. You have your own apartment?! Lucky you, my first year I had to share a very small room with my roommate and share a bathroom with about 35-40 other girls. Ah! the college experience.
I completely understand what you’re going through, my first two years at college, or university(I’m trying to brush up on my Canadian lol, just learned about past-a yesterday ) I was going to school and living on campus but I was only 40 minutes from home. So, far enough to miss home, but close enough for my family to visit me or go home on the weekends. Well in July I started a new school in Los Angeles, I’m from Connecticut, so this this has been extremely hard. I’m kinda homely, I love being around what I know, I’ve never been this far away from my family, or even been away this long. I had never even visited LA before, and didn’t know a soul out here. It’s been about a month, and slowly I’m getting used to it. I’ve cried like a million times. One day I started bawling just because I wanted to give my mom a hug and I couldn’t lol. But I know I’m here for a reason, going to school out here is going to get me into my desired career( in fact it’s 1 of 2 schools in the country with this program so I had no choice).

So here’s a bit of advice for you; you’re going to miss your family, that is inevitable, but you are going to school for a reason. You are going to grow as a person from this experience, you are going to learn so much. It’ll get easier. As scary as this is it’s all a part of growing up. Growing up is scary, I’m realizing that now, but remember your family will always be there to guide you and help you, even the lovely people here at GBD too.
I have taken up way too much space with this post! So I’m gonna stop now, I could write so much more on this topic, but I’m done.
Vlogs? great idea!

robertrka

Change hmm… I`ve lost weight and how I did it? There`s a interesting book that’s out called Kevin Trudough`s weight loss secrets, I hope I`m spelling his name right. At any rate I can still eat the foods I enjoy and not have any weight issues. Good book.

Jenipher

@Alyssa-thanks for the advice, Alyssa. you’re very right, as long as it benefits us in our future, then it’s worth doing. I think what you’re doing to move to LA to get the best education on what you wanna do for a living is great! Best of wishes! Hope everything goes awesome for you over there and that you love it!

Jenipher

@robertrka- that’s awesome! Congrats gonna have to read it and see what I can do for my chocolate obsession and how I can still stay in shape. I guess it’s all about portion control, isn’t it?

Air

@ Alyssa: I give you major props for taking a huge step like you did. LA is definitely different from Connecticut.

@ Jenipher: I’m now a junior in college and it gets easier being away from home. My first week of college was crazy, I was only 2 hours away, which gave me the freedom do be more independent, but also I was close enough incase something happened I could get home quickly. I cried my first day I went and my first week was horrible, my schedule was all wrong (they never told me) so I went to all the wrong classes and then I had to try and pink slip my way into all these classes and I had no idea where I was going. Ah, but after all that it gets sooo much easier and you’ll find your niche. After my first month, I didn’t want to go home, I had everything I needed on campus, all the stores and malls were 5 minutes away it was awesome. And it was nice to not have to check in with my parents if I wanted to go out, say like midnight on a school night, I didn’t ask I just did it. But, with all that fun you gotta remember to study, because there’s nothing worse than falling behind. You’ll miss you’re friends from home, but you’ll make new ones and they help to fill in the voids. Best of luck being a freshman!

robertrka

Yes it is. Barnes and Noble should carry it thanks.

JFo

jenn! this blog comes at a great time! first off, YAY to you for going to college. And I had the same college experience, with my parents 2 hours away. I promise you, you will get use to it and fall in love with college and the experience. with that being said, im actually in the midst of transferring, uprooting myself 800 miles away from my entire family while my sister (soulmate) is moving 400 miles south of me! we’ll be 1,200 miles apart

please email me if you every need to talk! i know exactly how you feel. but i promise, you will INDEED LOVEEEEEEEEE college

<3
jessicaf

tracey1232

Hey Jen!
Congrats on going to college! Thats a really great achievement!
Its understandable that you’re a bit scared but that’s all art of the experience!
Thanks for sharing this!
Hope you have an amazing time there!

xox
Tracey

Jessica_M

I went through the same thing. It was really scary at first because I felt as though everything was changing and it was so different from what I was used to. I have a hard time with change and there were lots of new things, but eventually I got used to it. I’m now starting my second year of college and I’m loving it!! So all I can tell you is hang in there and know that pretty much everyone is going through the same thing. And you can always call your family when you need it, they are the best to help you deal with what you are experiencing. Hope you are well now and take care!!

Laurenelle

Jenipher – congrats on starting college! I can’t believe I’m done with my first year already. The first month or so is definitely intimidating, and I remember having feelings if inadequacy, asking myself: Am I mature enough? Am I smart enough to be here? And those feelings as well as homesickness are totally normal, but you settle into a new routine a lot faster than you’d think. I’m 400 miles from home (where Jessica’s sister will be going!) and I was surprised that I wasn’t homesick at all, which is weird because in high school I was such a homebody. When you get involved and find things to keep yourself busy, time passes all too quickly and you’re home again! Good luck.:)

Marilyne

Hey Jenn!

Me too! I’m starting in 2 weeks actually! My university is 1h30 away from my home so I am now living in an apartment with a friend in Québec City! I have actually be living here since the beginning of summer so that stressful part is done! On the first day, we have an integration day on which every students from every program have to get dressed according to a certain theme(mine is Pirates!) and we participate in different activities to get to know each other. I’m really eager to see and live the “College Life”

Enjoy everyone! and courage:P

kaye

me too! i went through the same thing. during my first year in college ,uhmm…well, its not really my 1st year, it was like my 2nd freshman year in college and in different course. I was really scared maybe it’s b’coz i’m a shy type of person and i’m a bit anti-social.(i hate myself for that..LOL)
It’s a big change…
From Finance course switched to Practical Nursing, from a big school to a smaller one, from numbers and equations to medical terms, from 4 school days a week to 6 days a week (3 days in school and 3 days in 3 different places 1 of those is 3 hrs away from home, to be precise it’s a province).
I really don’t know where and how to start, even to accost other students. I told myself “wat am i doing?? this isn’t a nightmare,.. but instead the right time for me to make a change for myself, to do things that i haven’t done during my 1st freshman yr. like, making frens, enjoying the subjects and gaining lots of experiences. and I’ve come to realized that above all the others, only “I” can help my self to be a better person and to be the person that I want to be.
so0o.. it’s all me and only me, it’s scary and it’s hard, but it’s Exciting and it’s GREAT!!! lol
I luv these huge changes! and i even rip off some of those “shy” and “anti-social” side of me. I must admit, freshman year is sweeter the 2nd time around! lol..(^_^)