As a high school senior, or a first year entering in second semester, you may be dreading one of the worst downsides of college: never having any alone time. My first weekend at college all I remember thinking was that I couldn't wait for classes to start so I could get a minute to myself. Well classes stated, and I did cherish those few coveted moments of alone time, but then a weekend came where all of my friends decided they were going to go home.
PIN ME!
At first I thought it would be great! Almost all of my new friends were going back home at 11:30 am and my boyfriend was going to come and visit me after he got out of class at 6, so I wouldn't see him until 7. You couldn't even imagine how excited I was to have almost 8 hours alone! But then it happened. And it wasn't what I wanted.
As a freshman your friends are your support system, especially within the first semester. You get so used to being around them all the time. Always having someone to go to the dining hall with or to talk to while you do some homework. So when I was sitting alone for those couple of hours I was more sad then I had been saying goodbye on move-in-day. I was too scared to go to the dining hall alone so I ordered a pizza (embarrassing right?). I called my mom, then my dad, then my best friend from home, just trying to pass the time and not seem so lonely.
This wasn't the last time I felt lonely like that at college. I'm not a partier. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I prefer sitting in bed eating Chips Ahoy while I watch re-runs of How I Met Your Mother and Bones. This has lead to nights where I'm left to my own devices because I chose not to go out with my friends. I don't regret my decisions, though. I think it's so super important to remain true to yourself in college.
My advice to anyone else who has, or is, experiencing loneliness is to talk to your friends or your roommate. Tell them how you're feeling and schedule a girls night, and don't be afraid to go out for an hour with your friends some nights. It's good to see their point of view too.
For anyone worrying about finding alone time in college, don't worry. It's not the alone time you'll learn to covet, it's the time and the memories you make with your friends.
xoxo
AME
