Dovember 5, 2008

Salvete, omnes!

As the semester winds down, I cannot help but think of all
the impressions I had about college life before I got here and experienced it
myself. I was nervous this summer about so many things—living in a dorm, living
with someone I didn’t know, making friends, passing my classes, doing my
homework and still finding time for hanging out…the list went on and on. All of
my worries seemed to dissipate, though, the moment I got here and just jumped
right in to life on the Hill. I’m going to dedicate this blog to those seniors
(and even juniors) who are wondering just how the heck one goes to college and
lives to tell the tale.

Dorm life

I’ve found living Mulledy a generally pleasant experience.
My roommate and I get along very well, and respect each other’s time, stuff,
and space. It wasn’t hard to grasp the dynamic of living with someone
completely new. When one of us wants to study and the other would like to
sleep, the bookworm just goes down to a study room in Mulledy (which I’ve
recently discovered, thanks to my friend Jill) or to the library. All it takes
is a little compromise. Noise level in Mulledy is the only thing I have ever
had a problem with — sometimes a girl just wants to sleep, and for others in the
hall this is the last thing on their minds. Quiet times go into effect at 10
p.m. on weekdays and midnight on weekends, but one can always just go out and
nicely ask the noisy ones to quiet down. The best part about living in a dorm
is having your friends around all the time (which can put a damper on
productivity, but I’ve gotten into the habit of not doing my work in my room,
as to cut down on distractions). My friends and I spontaneously watch movies,
make nachos (or “chips and cheese,” as Amy insists) like it’s our job, and
order out sometimes. It’s quite fun! As far as sharing showers/bathrooms are
concerned, that’s just something you get used to with time.

Making friends

Now, honestly, I don’t know how I could have been nervous
about making friends here at Holy Cross. Everyone is so nice and most people,
like me, will talk to anyone. There are so many opportunities to create lasting
friendships here from the get-go, such as orientation groups, hall shenanigans,
classes, and clubs. My friends are a lovely, crazy group of girls whom I know I
can turn to for anything. We’ve had so much fun in the past couple months, and
I can’t imagine my Holy Cross experience without them!

Classes/professors/homework

 This is the one thing
I was especially nervous about when coming to Holy Cross. I had this impression
that every class was ridiculously impossible, and that the professors would be
inaccessible or difficult to follow. How unlike reality my worry was! At Holy
Cross, most classes are very small (my largest is in the 20s), and the
professors, though absolute geniuses, have an uncanny knack for making their
material accessible. My favorite part about going to class here is the level of
enthusiasm both the professors and students have for teaching and learning,
respectively. Within my own major and even in my group of friends, I am surrounded
by passionate individuals who have drive and conviction. The homework is
manageable, and usually very pertinent to the course material. If you stay on
top of things and make sure to resist slacking off most nights, you’ll be in
top shape. Since we only take four classes here (trust me, they’ll keep you
quite occupied), a lot of free time is devoted to getting caught up, as well as
to activities. All in all, although things get a bit hectic at times (right now
is one of those for me!), one always gets through the work and usually enjoys
herself in the end.

Well, speaking of getting work done, I must finish a paper
due at midnight tonight for Latin. Only a page to go!

Xairete (in honor of my
last Greek quiz of the semester, which I took today)!