My two week long birthday
So, you might be thinking: “Ok, this is a student blog on the University’s Admissions web page – why on earth is she talking about her birthday?”... Well, I’m supposed to share some of my college experiences with you, guys. And the things I’ve had happen to me in the past couple of weeks are just that – one of the many kinds of experiences that college is all about.
Let me get to the point. Last Sunday was my 20th birthday (yes, I’m old, I know). And, while I’m not a big fan of birthdays, especially my own, it turned out to be a great chance to see how much people care.
The “celebration” began earlier in that week, during Spring break, when my family sent me this huge (emphasis the word “huge” :<) package with all sorts of things, from stuff they knew I needed to symbolic gifts or fun presents. It’s more than just the gifts, though – there’s this sense of “reconnecting” – once you’ve left home, things change, relationships change, and for the most part, the previous “bad things” seem to fade away. I feel that, emotionally, I’m closer to my family now than I was when I still lived at home, simply because I’m aware of it now. Unfortunately, the routine created when living with others, sharing your space, time, and availability with other people, including family, makes you take things for granted and not think of them. Distance, I’ve come to learn, helps invigorate relationships and appreciate people in new ways.
At the same time, leaving home means literally starting a new life – or rather, building a new life for yourself. And as hard as it may get at times, one of the great things about it is that you get to discover new people, establish new relationships, and learn so many things about yourself and human interaction in the process…
…Last Friday (2 days before my birthday) I was in the lab and my bio teacher showed up with a small cake and candles – he was in the process of writing me a recommendation letter and he noticed the date of birth in my resume:) On Sunday, several co-workers and one of my supervisors from the library surprised me with presents and warm wishes. For me the real surprise in these examples was the new kind of human interaction I had come across here. Then on Monday I got this very mysterious phone call from Student Affairs, telling me that I should find some time to stop by, because there was something for me there. So I went down there and found this big bouquet of beautiful lilies. I was totally confused. Luckily, there was a card attached – picture this: it was from my “old gang” at home (2 of them are in the UK now, one is back home, in the capital); who knows how they did it or how much trouble they went through, but it threw me off. I sort of started crying right there, in the office. And that’s another thing I learned here – it’s ok to show emotion and to share it. And, as I earlier mentioned, distance, temporal and spatial, can really refresh friendships:) On the same note, a bunch of friends here remembered me, in one way or the other. And tonight, while I was doing some homework, a dozen girls or so from my dorm suddenly opened the door and started singing “Happy Birthday!” while holding a cake they had just baked – apparently one of my roommates was the “mastermind” behind all this. I was totally speechless, I really didn’t expect it. The curious thing is that my roommate and I only started communicating a few weeks ago and it had been the most random, sudden thing – we just started talking one night.
My point is that college is about more than academics (and this is coming from someone who studies 2/3 of the day:) ) - college is about human interaction and self discovery. And in the American system it’s all the more great as the formal barriers imposed by hierarchy in other parts of the world tend to fade here, leaving room for a greater, deeper sense of normality and self-value.
All of you going off to college in the near future – look forward for it; if you genuinely want to, you can make it a worth-while experience and feel great about it.
Enough “parental guidance” for now:) I need to get back to the ever-increasing amount of things I need to do – not only are we 5 weeks before the end of the school year, but registration is upon us. That, too, is a wonderful college experience, just wait and see=)). What still amazes me is how many people are willing and eager to offer advice and help, from an academic point of view, as well as a personal one.
Anyway, for those of you celebrating Easter this weekend, “Happy Holidays!” If not, then just have a really nice weekend!
Take care!
-Anda-
