Written by: Laura Clark
The person you are now is very different from the person you were at the start of the summer – or even from the person you were at the start of the school year. You’ve changed in so many ways that you may not even recognize yourself. Family members probably brought some of these recent changes to your attention at family dinners over Thanksgiving weekend. Perhaps you noticed some things about yourself while you were passing the gravy to your grandma. Change is a good thing! At AMPD we encourage reflection, so let’s take a look at some of the changes you may be experiencing in this second-wave psychological puberty that no one told you was coming.
At the end of the summer, you were ready to leave home and take your first step into the big, wide world…
Parents are great, but there comes a point where you want to explore the adult realm and experience the world on your own terms. You were probably packed and ready to leave a month before the end of the summer.
Be honest, when you first got to York you were probably feeling like this:
York is a big place! It’s easy to get lost, and there are lots of new responsibilities you may not have thought of that significantly impact your life now: How do you do laundry? Have you always eaten so much food? How do you get anything done without access to a car? THESE ARE THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT NO ONE PREPARED YOU FOR!
But now, you’ve got everything totally under control…
Time at university has made you a pro at everything. You’ve lived through a lot of changes and you’ve learned more than you thought possible. You’re a warrior.
Kind of…
You know that life is full of curve balls. Taking it one step at a time helps you be prepared for everything university throws at you. Breathe, Tino, breathe!
You’ve grown to despise the question, “What do you want to do with your life?”
In high school, you had everything figured out. But now you can relate to Lizzie in the Lizzie Maguire Movie on philosophical and emotional levels. Are you in the right program? Should you double major? What do you want to do when you graduate? The only thing worse is when your neighbour gives you a sympathetic look and tries to assure you, “you still have time”. I know, Sandra! Leave me alone, I’ll figure it out!
Contrary to your experiences in high school, you know there’s a lot of different ways to be cool at university.
In a world of Kraft singles, you’re the Black Diamond Old Cheddar. You hacked your residence kitchen to cook a 4-part dinner and now everyone wants to be your friend. You are the pinnacle of coolness.
Your appreciation of basic hygiene has gone through the roof…
Not only do you have to pay for your own soap, toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner, but you know that if you don’t make a special trip to the store to get it no one will get it for you. Students who stay on top of their hygiene are the ones who are going places.
Your confidence has grown exponentially due to your newfound freedoms…
Staying out past 10pm? YOU CAN DO ANYTHING AND NO ONE CAN STOP YOU!
You’re trying new things…
York is full of opportunities! You never know what you might like, so you might as well give everything a try! Before you let your sister judge you for your new-found passion for krumping, think about how it makes you feel, and stick with it!
And making new friends…
There are so many more people than in your tiny hometown! Friends come from all kinds of unexpected places and you’re loving that you can meet new people everywhere.
And changing your style to match with your new “school friends”…
Mixing it up every now and then is a great way to explore your style preferences. Your parents may have something to say about it, but you’re an adult who can make their own style decisions!
And learning about nutrition and proper meal prep…
Just kidding. You’re eating at York Lanes every day and dreaming of your mother’s meatloaf. You will never underestimate the power of a home-cooked meal again.
You may find yourself exploring new food preferences…
Your parents may not support your interest in exploring veganism; but now that you’re on your own, you can try things out for yourself and share recipes with other like-minded people.
Your standards for relationships may have changed…
We can’t be too hard on ourselves. High school was a complicated time in our lives with a very small dating pool. But now, there are options! You can look for someone who actively supports your dreams and goals, just like you’ll do for them.
Your squad is stronger than ever…
Friendships have been put to the test, but now you know who your real friends are. Old and new, they’ve got your back and you trust them to support you through anything.
Some challenges are the same…
Jordan and Samantha, we’re all looking at you.
You shudder when you think of your younger self…
You thought you were cool then, but you KNOW that you’re cool now.
But you’ve learned so much about yourself over the past two months, that you’re basically a new person.
And you’re not letting anyone tell you how to live your best life.
We can’t wait to see what the rest of first year has in store for you. University is a magical (and stressful) whirlwind of experiences. We’re glad you’re here. Go take on the world!
All gifs and images were found on public domain via Google Images