A recent NYU gradute reclassified the four years of college for me, a rising sophomore. By simply
switching the names of two of the year, he put things into perspective. He didn’t know how far I would
carry his words.
According to this unnamed alumnus, you are a freshman till you’re “no longer a freshman” (i.e.
sophomore). Then you are “not quite a senior” (i.e. junior) and finally, you’re a senior. With this change
in titles comes a shift in the dynamic of your relationship with the university. Each year you experience
a different kind of love. You grow in love, you grow out of love. Who knew those arbitrary divisions
between years actually meant something?
Unless you truly despise your school, in which case I would advise you to stop reading, now. Please go
apply for a transfer; you’re only going to get more miserable. Or not, but I’m not an optimist.
Your love story starts before college, it starts with a crush. A crush on the school you want to attend.
You make an effort to get noticed, you show off your best side, and hope that you catch their eye.
And then maybe you do. Maybe the attention you were looking for is now yours. They shower you with
presents (read fat acceptance envelopes) and you can’t stop smiling. The world seems like a happier
place. You can’t stop talking to your friends about it. It isn’t official yet, but you’re already on cloud 9.
Freshman Year
It’s official. And this is the best part of the relationship, the honeymoon period. Puppy love, doe eyed
and all. Bubbling with youthful joy, you cannot wait to explore all aspects of this new world. Initially,
you are shy but then you start getting comfortable, and every experience is a first, every moment is a
memory. Even on your low days, you are comforted by reminding yourself how lucky you are. You’re
resilient and nothing can defeat you, not even getting lost for the three hundredth time. Oh you
freshman you. No wonder everyone adores you.
No Longer a Freshman?
You spend some time away, taking a healthy break contemplating your life beyond the relationship.
When you come back you are ready for everything, you know everything and you still love every aspect
of it. You are now in a married state.
Unless you still hate it, please file for divorce.
Your love has evolved into a matured, subdued relationship. Little surprises you and the charm of firsts
is gone, but small things make you very happy. Small memories from freshman year make you smile.
Every corner now has a story, and those that don’t are waiting for stories to be made. You are happy
and in no hurry to leave. Leave? That’s so far away, why would you even think of that? Now is the time
to explore, to look beyond the university, to take control. Because now you know a little bit more.
Then, from what I’ve heard, comes the worst time of your relationship. Although when you think about
it in retrospect it wasn’t bad at all and you had fun, as you’re going through it you don’t appreciate that
time when you’re “not yet a senior”.
Too much stress now? Why? Are you recruiting? Are you taking the MCATs? Junior year seems like the
time you finally realize you’re in college. You say no to plans, you save everything for later (i.e. senior
year). Work now, enjoy later. It will be worth it one day, you think. This is what I came to college for.
This is the rough patch you just need to get through. Make it work through this, and you will come out
stronger. Senior year will be more precious.
And then you’re finally a senior. This is like knowing your relationship is bound to end. You have to
go your separate ways. So you will do everything to spend each and every moment together. You
will finally buy more collegiate stuff. You will attend everything for the “last time”, everything will be
special once again because remember that time when? And yeah that other time? Everything is going
to come rushing back and you’re going to either go into denial about leaving or you’re going to try to be
completely detached and pretend not to care at all, and everything in between. You will feel something.
Because lets be real, this has been your life for four years now. You’re attached.
Even if you’re the bitter one who still hates being here, you will have some fond memories. Or maybe
your life just sucks, but hey no one stopped you from transferring.
You will look back and see how much you grew up in four years, you won’t recognize your freshman self.
For better or for worse, that’s up for grabs. You definitely aren’t the same person you were. But you will
be some version of the person you are now for the rest of your life. Your Alma Mater will always be part
of you, and you would like to hope some part of it will always be yours.
“We’ll always have Paris.”
Years later when you come back to show your family and don’t recognize a single face there; each
corner will tell you a story. And that story is forever yours to keep.
switching the names of two of the year, he put things into perspective. He didn’t know how far I would
carry his words.
According to this unnamed alumnus, you are a freshman till you’re “no longer a freshman” (i.e.
sophomore). Then you are “not quite a senior” (i.e. junior) and finally, you’re a senior. With this change
in titles comes a shift in the dynamic of your relationship with the university. Each year you experience
a different kind of love. You grow in love, you grow out of love. Who knew those arbitrary divisions
between years actually meant something?
Unless you truly despise your school, in which case I would advise you to stop reading, now. Please go
apply for a transfer; you’re only going to get more miserable. Or not, but I’m not an optimist.
Your love story starts before college, it starts with a crush. A crush on the school you want to attend.
You make an effort to get noticed, you show off your best side, and hope that you catch their eye.
And then maybe you do. Maybe the attention you were looking for is now yours. They shower you with
presents (read fat acceptance envelopes) and you can’t stop smiling. The world seems like a happier
place. You can’t stop talking to your friends about it. It isn’t official yet, but you’re already on cloud 9.
Freshman Year
It’s official. And this is the best part of the relationship, the honeymoon period. Puppy love, doe eyed
and all. Bubbling with youthful joy, you cannot wait to explore all aspects of this new world. Initially,
you are shy but then you start getting comfortable, and every experience is a first, every moment is a
memory. Even on your low days, you are comforted by reminding yourself how lucky you are. You’re
resilient and nothing can defeat you, not even getting lost for the three hundredth time. Oh you
freshman you. No wonder everyone adores you.
No Longer a Freshman?
You spend some time away, taking a healthy break contemplating your life beyond the relationship.
When you come back you are ready for everything, you know everything and you still love every aspect
of it. You are now in a married state.
Unless you still hate it, please file for divorce.
Your love has evolved into a matured, subdued relationship. Little surprises you and the charm of firsts
is gone, but small things make you very happy. Small memories from freshman year make you smile.
Every corner now has a story, and those that don’t are waiting for stories to be made. You are happy
and in no hurry to leave. Leave? That’s so far away, why would you even think of that? Now is the time
to explore, to look beyond the university, to take control. Because now you know a little bit more.
Then, from what I’ve heard, comes the worst time of your relationship. Although when you think about
it in retrospect it wasn’t bad at all and you had fun, as you’re going through it you don’t appreciate that
time when you’re “not yet a senior”.
Too much stress now? Why? Are you recruiting? Are you taking the MCATs? Junior year seems like the
time you finally realize you’re in college. You say no to plans, you save everything for later (i.e. senior
year). Work now, enjoy later. It will be worth it one day, you think. This is what I came to college for.
This is the rough patch you just need to get through. Make it work through this, and you will come out
stronger. Senior year will be more precious.
And then you’re finally a senior. This is like knowing your relationship is bound to end. You have to
go your separate ways. So you will do everything to spend each and every moment together. You
will finally buy more collegiate stuff. You will attend everything for the “last time”, everything will be
special once again because remember that time when? And yeah that other time? Everything is going
to come rushing back and you’re going to either go into denial about leaving or you’re going to try to be
completely detached and pretend not to care at all, and everything in between. You will feel something.
Because lets be real, this has been your life for four years now. You’re attached.
Even if you’re the bitter one who still hates being here, you will have some fond memories. Or maybe
your life just sucks, but hey no one stopped you from transferring.
You will look back and see how much you grew up in four years, you won’t recognize your freshman self.
For better or for worse, that’s up for grabs. You definitely aren’t the same person you were. But you will
be some version of the person you are now for the rest of your life. Your Alma Mater will always be part
of you, and you would like to hope some part of it will always be yours.
“We’ll always have Paris.”
Years later when you come back to show your family and don’t recognize a single face there; each
corner will tell you a story. And that story is forever yours to keep.