Hello, my name is AnnaGrace Greenho and I am a freshman at Holy Cross.
Freshman. It sounds so foreign and strange to say it out loud. The stereotypical bottoms of the social ladder, over-involved, wandering, map using, lost little college students.
This, however, is not the case for those first year students at Holy Cross. As cliché as it may sound, I knew from the moment I drove up to my dorm on move-in day, surrounded by orientation leaders blasting music and holding posters filled with excitement, that I was meant to be at this school.
To be honest, I was in complete and total denial that I was actually GOING to college, up until the morning of August 25th. The thought of living away from home in a dorm full of strangers, left to fend for myself and navigate the next stages of my future, seemed impossible. I was angry-at my parents for making me go, and at myself for being so angry.
This anger not only disappeared within seconds of arriving on campus, but it turned into new feelings of excitement.
As the first few days passed by, I had to quickly adapt and get used to the things that I had so effortlessly taken for granted while in high school.
The biggest thing? Shower shoes.
The process of having to put on your shoes before walking to the bathroom to take a shower seemed ridiculous to me. But like all things with time, I got used to it. It is now simply a small part of the routine that is college.
Did I feel homesick? Of course. Was I overwhelmed with finding my classes? Yes. Was I terrified of meeting new people and finding my way? Absolutely. But these things solve themselves when you are in an environment as friendly, familiar, and engaging as Holy Cross.
The funny thing is, I can pinpoint the exact moment when I no longer felt afraid, homesick, angry, or anxious.
I was sitting on top of the hill near the Hart Center watching the sky fade from blue, to orange, to yellow, and finally to a soft pale pink color. I looked around at the group of friends I had been lucky enough to meet within the first few days, and sat quietly as tears formed in my eyes.
I still have no clue why this rush of emotions came over me, but I think it had something to do with the fact that I was all of a sudden very aware that no matter where you are in this world, the sun will set and rise again.
Fast forward a few weeks and here I am, sitting at home on Fall Break, missing my friends, missing the sunsets, even missing my shower shoes.
I cannot express the excitement I have for the next four years, filled with an overwhelming amount of support from teachers and advisors, endless opportunities, unique experiences, and, of course, sunsets and shower shoes.
