University prep
Student perspectives on leaving home
As I pack up pencil sharpeners and notebooks like I have every fall for the past 13 years, I know that this year is massively different. I’m also packing up everything else and moving out for the first time.
I’m going to University of Kings College, moving in in just nine days, and my friends are all leaving too. I know for myself, and many others, that thought brings with it almost every emotion under the sun. There’s extreme excitement about everything that we can do and become, and there’s also nostalgia and sadness in every parting.
“I’m very excited about the new experiences, leaving home, new city and a chance to start fresh, but I’m nervous because it is a big change,” said Macayla O’Brien, a friend and graduate from North Nova Education Centre who’s also starting her first year of university in a week.
“I just want to spend time with my friends and family next week,” said Layne Carpenter, another recent NNEC graduate and good friend.
With parties, lazing on the beach and last-minute summer daytrips, packing for our new adventure is being squished into an already full goodbye week. Most students will be moving into residence over the Labour Day weekend, with classes starting after the holiday.
And of course, the adventure begins with frosh week, the first week of school that I expect to be filled with fun, excitement, and lots of new faces.
“At first it felt like I was away as some sort of summer camp, especially during frosh week. It was really fun,” said Cali Heighton, thinking back on her first week of university. Cali is starting her second year of university, heading to St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish to study science.
As leaving approaches, I’ve gotten a lot of advice, especially from my older brother, Ben, who’s going into his second year at Crandall University. That advice includes working hard to take part in university life.
“Don’t hide in your room, make an intentional effort to get out and meet new people and get involved on your campus,” he said.
Along with leaving the old behind, embracing the new is a big challenge for all of us.
After move-in day and the excitement of a new place comes classwork, the source of another major adjustment. And stress.
“People aren’t going to chase you for work, you either hand it in finished on the deadline day or you don’t hand it in,” Ben told me.
Cali said while it may be very different from high school, there are still lots of ways to help yourself along.
“Academic wise, if you don’t have great study habits in high school, you’ll need to learn them. Don’t worry, university provides lots of resources to help you. My tips would be use lots of cue cards and colourful pens/highlighters and to study with friends.”
After all the classes are over for the first time, there’s another change. Coming back to your dorm and your roommate instead of your house and family.
“Living on your own can be a big change, but you get used to it really quick, and best of all you make tons of friends who live right down the hall from you or in the next building so you’re hardly lonely!” said Cali.
From room design and colour scheme, to organization and storage, to how to live with a stranger, planning for residence takes up a lot of my thoughts and time. I couldn’t count the conversations I’ve had with friends about what colour pillow goes best with their new comforter or how to fit all their clothes into a few small drawers.
“I am living in a dorm with a roommate that I’ve been best friends with for a few years now and I think the fact that I have her with me is making all the difference. It doesn’t feel so overwhelming,” said Macayla.
“The more at home you feel in your dorm the better in my opinion! It’s really important to have your own space to feel comfortable in after a long day,” said Cali.
Her advice is to personalize, bringing décor and pictures that are special, which seems to be exactly what we’re all thinking.
“The most important things I’m bringing are more of the personal items like pictures of friends and family, childhood things that make me feel more at home,” said Carpenter, who’s making a single dorm room into her home for the year.
Brittany Sangster, another close friend and new university student from Trenton, has the same plan.
“I think having them (photos) up on my walls will help with the transition of seeing these people almost every day to every other month or so.”
In between all of our laptops and text books shoved into our cars will be photo albums and memories. Maybe our biggest job in the coming months will be to figure out how to weave all those things together.