“Oh, my God! What made you come here?” The question I can’t seem to escape as an out-of-stater, not only from others, but also myself. “Why am I here?” I pondered often during my first semester. It’s tough enough already that your peers see you as an alien, how on earth was I going to adjust to life here? Well, spoiler alert…I did. And it couldn’t be going any better. Whether you’re from a big city in the northeast like me, or a small town an hour from Ocala, change is hard. Here are my tips that can hopefully help you feel more at home here in our lovely college town:
Bring a piece of home to your new home
First and foremost comes acceptance. Yes, Gainesville is your home now and that can feel overwhelming. Take it from me, someone who has lived in New York City her whole life, My first month here felt… well… off. I had never been in the passenger seat of a car before. (And it shows…my walking speed is exceptional.) And I still walk everywhere. It would have to be more than an hour away for me not to. To me, that’s a piece of home.Â
Amidst all the inevitable changes happening around you, prior habits and routines can be your way of maintaining some control. Your piece of home doesn’t need to be something physical, although it can be! Bringing mementos from home and displaying them in your room or just keeping them on your person are great ways to have positive and nostalgic reminders of your safe space.Â
I have quite a few, but my favorite is my polaroid wall. I have hundreds of polaroid pictures spanning years collaged across my wall. Be creative and bring anything that makes you feel warm and safe inside.Â
Acknowledge your feelings, but let them escape
You’re gonna feel homesick, and you’re gonna feel lonely. Even once you make friends, your heart is gonna long for what you’ve been used to all our lives.Â
The first thing I’d say to that is, you’re not alone. Seriously. I can guarantee that every student at one point has felt like an imposter here. Our feelings are incredibly nuanced and I cannot describe in perfect detail what you as an individual are feeling. But I’ve got some good news… you can. And you should.Â
The worst thing you can do is allow those unwanted feelings to bottle up inside you. I can suggest talking to a counselor at the Counseling and Wellness Center, but that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, and hey, I get it. How about what I’m doing right now? Writing is one of the things that’s saved my sanity during that long and dreadful first month.Â
Go out and buy a journal. It can be a nice one that you really take care of and cherish or the cheapest one that you can rip to shreds and never look at again. Either is fine by me! In fact, you can just grab a piece of paper and just start writing. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, or the content, just write whatever you’re feeling at that moment, or whatever you’ve been feeling for a while. After your session, see how you feel! You’ll feel about five pounds lighter and feel like you’ve gained some clarity. This is just an example of a way, but any method works as long as you can properly express and let go of those pesky, unwanted feelings.Â
Make new memories
Yes, I know all I have talked about so far is reminiscing and grasping on to things that made you happy back home, but now I’m changing gears. It’s time for tough love! You have to put yourself out there, or else why are you here? Think back to your fondest memories– are you thinking about all those hours you spent locked up in your room? I hope not. I love spending time alone, and I’m not automatically saying alone time is a negative thing, on the contrary!Â
Maybe instead of studying in your room, go to Lib West, or perhaps a library you haven’t been to yet for a change. Grab coffee with your roommate at Hass, or the girl in your bio class who you’ve only said “hi” to at Pascal’s. Stop by Midpoint eatery for a daytime snack, or find some unique pieces at the monthly Vintage Market. Head to Dragonfly in Downtown for sushi that rivals SUGARFISH in New York, or why not Harry’s for some NOLA flair.Â
Sure, Gainesville doesn’t have my favorite bagel shop (sorry Luke’s), but does New York have springs as beautiful as Ichetucknee? I’ll let you answer that!
Remember why you’re here
No seriously, take a minute to think back to the day you opened that acceptance letter. For most of you, it was probably a very happy day, and even if UF was not your first option, it still had to have felt good being accepted to one of the top public schools in the nation. So you said yes and spent the summer waiting in anticipation to start classes, and you probably looked up some clubs you’d be interested in and attended orientation.
So, did you end up applying for that club or attending that GBM? We all have passions and interests, even if we haven’t found our end all be all yet, but really who has? Â
So remember what made you excited about coming here and go try the things you said you’d try, I promise you’ll land on your feet!