I Love College

Everyone is moving back to St. Mike’s this weekend and I’m jealous that I won’t be joining them. I remember last summer my mom had to practically drag me out of the house, kicking and screaming, when it was time to go back. I absolutely hated school. I hated the dorm rooms, the dining hall food and the fact that I had to share a bathroom with 30 other girls. I would get annoyed when people told me college was supposed to be the best time of my life because if public bathrooms and twin size beds are the best life has to offer, then I definitely don’t want to see what life after college is like.

I was looking at pictures of some girls I know who are college freshmen this year and it looks like they already have a group of friends and are having the time of their lives. I’m jealous of how easy it was for them to transition to college life when it took me almost two years to feel comfortable at school.

And now that I’m not going back this fall, St. Mike’s is the one place I want to be. Leaving St. Mike’s has shown me how much I really appreciate it, so I thought I would pull an Asher Roth and use this entry to describe what I love about college.

1.)Alliot cup drops: One person will drop their plastic Alliot cup on the ground which makes a loud noise as it bounces on the floor. This causes more people to drop their cups, creating a melodic chorus during dinner. It’s loud and annoying and awesome. As far as I can tell, this doesn’t happen at other colleges, so it’s another reason why St. Mike’s is special.

2.)Thursday nights: Thursday is my favorite day of the week. I’ve never had more than one class on Fridays, so I would always stop studying by 4:30 on Thursdays and spend some much needed time with my friends watching The Office, Community and 30 Rock while eating chicken tenders and smoothies from The Knightstand.

3.)Denny’s: My first time going to Denny’s was at 11:30 p.m. on a random Wednesday night when I had a media law quiz the next day. There’s something about going to a restaurant late on a school night and ordering breakfast that can make you feel giddy because it’s so random. A much needed break from the mundane week. I felt the same way as a child when my mom would go out and leave me with a babysitter and I would get to eat popcorn and ice cream and stay up past my bedtime.

4.)The roommate bond: Roommates bond quickly. You fight, you get annoyed with each other, you learn each other’s dirty little secrets, you see each other cry and you inevitably walk in on each other changing a few times. But you also laugh together, tell secrets and have someone to dance with in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep. You become more like sisters instead of friends.

5.)Library dates: The one downside to living in the same building as all of my friends was that I would spend hours hanging out with them instead of doing homework. To avoid that, I would go to the library to get work done. But when I would decide to go to the library, all my friends would go with me, resulting in multiple study breaks in the snack room, passing notes back and forth in the study cubicles and no work getting done. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Chuckie Finster Complex

Summer is hands down my favorite season. I wish it could last forever, but at the same time I know summer is so magical because it doesn’t last. Right now it’s a rainy 70 degrees outside. The number of hot, sunny summer days is dwindling and I can feel fall approaching too quickly. Most people in my position would say this is a good thing, because the sooner summer is over, the sooner I’ll be on a plane to France where I will be studying abroad for four months. But I’m not one of those people.

Why did I choose to study abroad? It’s a question I’ve been asking myself more frequently as we edge towards September. There are the obvious reasons: a chance to live in Europe, to learn to speak French, to see places I’ve only dreamed about and to have awesome adventures that I will remember for the rest of my life. It will never be easier to go abroad as it is when you’re in college and you have the lovely people at St. Mike’s guiding you through the application and visa processes. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, and if you don’t seize it, you will regret it.
But the fact of the matter is, I’m terrified. I’m actually terrified of a lot of things, kind of like Chuckie Finster from Rugrats (possibly the greatest show ever). I’ve never been on a roller coaster, I absolutely hate clowns, public speaking makes me want to cry and I’m not a huge fan of airplanes, which will be a problem on August 30th on my six hour flight over the Atlantic Ocean.

I have the same uneasy, anxious feeling that I had the summer before college when I knew that my life was about to change in a big way. Add change to the long list of things that scare me. But isn’t changing the point of college? College is a four year transition period between childhood and adulthood where you have the luxury of figuring out who you are and who you want to be. It’s the time to learn to be independent, set your own rules and do your own laundry. When you graduate from college, chances are you won’t be anything like the kid you were when you graduated high school, and most people will be glad about this.

Change is a nice idea. But actually doing it, actually changing, is a different story. It’s like saying camping is a nice idea, but actually sleeping in a tent and freezing your butt off aren’t so great. Or the idea of reading Jane Austen books. I’ve always wanted to be the kind of person who has read Jane Austen and can have intellectual discussions about Pride and Prejudice and Mr. Darcy, but after the first few boring pages (no offense to Jane Austen fans) I put the book down and move to something else.

Part of me is excited about what lies ahead and part of me is resisting change and wants things to stay exactly the same. As much as I love summer, I’m itching to go back to St. Mike’s and see my friends and fall back into my routine. It’s safe. It’s easy. There is comfort in consistency.

The idea of living in such a beautiful place as France and doing adventurous things is what attracted me to studying abroad. But to actually do it? So scary. I will be living with a French family, eating foreign food and trying to speak a language I don’t know too well. I will be out of my comfort zone, which is always scary. But thinking back to Rugrats, as scared as Chuckie always was, he still managed, episode after episode, to do the thing that scared him. And I’m pretty sure he would have regretted it if he let a thing like fear cause him to miss out on Tommy’s crazy adventures because of fear.

So I guess I will put on a brave face, board the plane at the end of August and see what kind of change awaits me. Maybe then I will finally be courageous enough to ride a roller coaster or be in the same room as a clown.

About Me

Hey everyone! Welcome to my blog!

My name is Jordan and I’m going to be a junior at Saint Michael’s College this fall, which is both exciting and terrifying. It’s exciting because after spending two years at St. Mike’s, I feel completely comfortable, so much so that I even wear my pajamas to the dining hall for Sunday brunch. But it’s also terrifying for the same reason. I like it so much that they will probably have to kick me out after graduation.

I’m studying abroad in Grenoble, France this fall which is bittersweet. Who wouldn’t be excited to go to France? But St. Mike’s has become my home and there is a lot that I will miss while I’m gone, especially my friends. I met most of my friends during orientation weekend freshman year as we were all thrown together due to various circumstances (or because of fate) and we’ve stuck together for the past two years, somehow all fitting together and complementing each other perfectly.

I also have six best friends from home that I’ve known since elementary school which makes me feel incredibly lucky. The summer before college started, I spent many sleepless nights worrying that my friends and I would drift apart and that when we all came home for Thanksgiving break we wouldn’t recognize each other. I’m happy to say that even though we all did change, our friendship didn’t. It’s comforting to know that wherever life takes me, may it be Vermont or France, my friends will always be there supporting me and loving me. What more could I ask for?

I grew up in Massena, New York, a small town right on the Canadian border. My friends and I sometimes go to dinner or the movies in Canada because it’s only a 15 minute drive and because the movie theater there is a lot nicer than the one in Massena. Ripped seats and springs that poke your butt for two hours do not result in a pleasant movie experience.

I love sleeping in and I love summer because it’s the only time of year when I actually get to sleep in and feel rested. I’m not a big fan of snow, but I love Burlington so moving to Florida will never be an option. I love reading and would read a book each day if I had the time. My favorite books are the Harry Potter series. I was thrilled to get an acceptance letter from Hogwarts when I turned 11, but as it turned out, it was just my friends playing a very cruel joke on me.

I’m a journalism major with minors in French and political science. I’m in love with journalism, I speak French very poorly and I love to argue politics with anyone who’s willing, which usually annoys my mom when I get into political debates with relatives at family parties.

My new obsession is Dawson’s Creek (I know, I’m about 12 years too late for that fad) but I do love the drama. But after a long day of classes and homework, it’s nice to watch something funny. NBC Thursdays are my favorite; I love The Office, Community and 30 Rock. I also never say no to 90’s shows like Saved by the Bell and 90210. In fact, I never say no to anything from the 90’s and I still believe Hanson is the greatest band on Earth.

As you can probably tell from my 90’s obsession, I’m stuck in the past. But I’m also excited for the possibilities the future holds. My life is about to change big time when I go to France, so stay tuned to see what will happen!