Freshman orientation: where you are forced to participate in icebreakers, say where you’re from 6 million times while all at the same time realizing you have 0 friends. I honestly couldn’t tell you how many times I had to introduce myself to different people.
Your overly enthusiastic orientation group leaders tell you freshman year is going to be fun yet stressful. You have to get adjusted to college, classes, and the workload. What they don’t tell you is that you might meet your best friend, or in my case, your future boyfriend.
My freshman orientation experience wasn’t like most. It was a sunny day and I was happy to be on the campus where I would be spending the next four years of my life. However, as soon as I stepped out of the car, I wanted to turn around and go back home. The reoccurring thought popped in my head “I have nothing in common with these people.” But I stayed. We were assigned to our respective groups and went on our way.
My orientation group was small. There were about 12 people, half girls, half guys. Our NSL tried to make us feel comfortable by playing icebreakers. Everyone knows they are super awkward. You are trying to get to know people through little games you clearly have no interest in playing. However, while playing these elementary games, something I least expected happened.
My NSL paired me with a guy from my group, Drew. The first thing I thought was “Wow, this kid is cute.” The icebreaker we played was Anatomy Shuffle. To play, partners lined up across from each other while the NSL called out a body part. The two partners would have to run to the center and touch the body part that was called out. Simple enough right?
The game started out easy: “foot to foot”, “knee to knee.” Then it started getting a little too close for comfort. Our NSL called out “forehead to forehead.” Drew and I ran towards each other and touched foreheads. I avoided making any eye contact. It was awkward enough that I was touching foreheads with a stranger, not to mention that fact he was adorable.
We went back to our respective sides and our NSL called out “nose to nose.” Oh come on, could this be any more intimate? We ran and touched noses. This time, I looked up and he was smiling at me.
“You have a nice forehead,” he said to me still grinning. I blushed and after a few seconds managed to thank him for the unusual compliment.
The night went on and our group was brought to a pirate themed Travelling Max show. Everyone received maracas or pirate hats. I happened to receive a maraca while Drew got a pirate hat. Drew got up and gave me his pirate hat and told me it was a gift. I felt myself turning red and smiled to myself. I accepted the hat and held onto it until the show ended, when I mindlessly tossed it to the ground. Drew looked hurt as he watched this happened. Not knowing this would offend him, I joked and told him it might have lice. A pretty reasonable explanation for ditching the hat!
The next morning came and it was time to say goodbye to all of the friends I didn’t even think I was going to make at orientation. When I got home, I found Drew and some other friends on Facebook. That is when the message from him came. He told me he was hurt I threw out his gift and that he would never forgive me. I laughed and gave him props on finding another way to break the ice and start talking to me outside of orientation. We started talking everyday that summer. It wasn’t until we got to school where things started taking off.
In September, he asked me out on our first date to Colony Grill. I was extremely nervous and spent hours picking out my outfit and perfecting my hair and makeup. That is how our tradition of Mon-dates started. Every Monday since that day, we go on a date to a different restaurant. We alternate who picks every other week.
Although our first date was in September, he didn’t officially ask me out until January. Over Christmas break, we both realized we didn’t like spending so much time apart from each other. It was at that moment that we knew we were meant for each other. I asked him why he liked me at orientation and he told me it was love at first sight.
It has now been over a year together, and I cannot imagine my college experience without him. Now as a sophomore, he manages to be a D1 athlete and an incredible boyfriend all while putting up with my craziness. Luckily, we live in the same building now!
I think everything happens for a reason. I never thought I would have met my “soul mate” (cliché) at orientation but I did. To this day, he still tells me I have a nice forehead and it never fails to make me smile.