Why I never want my freshman year at JMU to end

Everyone says that your first year in college will be gone before you know it, but I never knew just how true that statement really was. Somehow I have managed to survive an entire year away at school, yet I feel like I’ve only just begun.

I am in love with my campus, school spirit, our student body, our professors and every single thing that characterizes JMU. There are so many fun little traditions I’ve made here that I’m not quite ready to give up when summer comes.

I remember when I honestly dreaded coming to JMU during my last summer at home. I did not want to leave my friends and family, and I definitely wasn’t ready to leave high school behind, only to wade into the uncharted waters of college life. I have never been one to enjoy change, so this certainly was no exception.

I expected to go through a lot of homesickness, but that’s not what happened at all. I felt immediately at home here and was totally at ease. My swift transition was just the start of a year full of experiences and surprises I would never see coming.

From FROG week, to late night Dog Pound runs, to College Game Day and trips to Gap View Ranch to play with puppies, I have savored every moment here. Every single day has been one to remember, and I’ve made memories that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

Freshman year really is one of the greatest times in college. It’s where you are free to experiment with different ideas and activities, stretching yourself to go beyond your horizons a little. Classes aren’t particularly difficult in comparison to major classes to be taken in later years, you get to live on campus and be a short walk away from food and classes, and you’re surrounded by tons of cool people who are just as new to this as you are.

I wish I could go to just one more formal, have another spontaneous night, and make one last Cookout run. Every weekend is full of new adventures, or simply relaxing nights in, depending on how we feel that day. College is a time of freedom to do what you want and make choices daily, and it’s been great living that out with such wonderful people.

One of the things I’ll miss most is the food – oh gosh, the food. Festival salads, SSC pizza and Duke’s barbecue bites are some of my favorites. Not to mention the always-delicious E-Hall brunch, which will forever hold a special place in my heart. Of course I adore my home-cooked meals, but I’ve definitely come to love the JMU cuisine as well.

I’ll miss ordering Campus Cookies and Dominoes at midnight just because. I’ll miss trekking across campus during snow days to see just how my school could possibly get any prettier. And I’ll miss talking late into the night with friends cuddled up in our custom decorated common room.

These two semesters have flown by faster than I could have ever imagined they would have. Looking back, months feel like seconds, and I only wish I could have more time here. I love my home and I miss my family, but I’m going to miss my JMU family just as much.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to go to such an amazing school, and meet even more amazing people. What am I going to do without having my friends right across my room and in neighboring suites, a Starbucks within walking distance, or the gorgeous sun setting on the mountains every night? These are just a few of the things that makes me love this place so much, and I’m going to miss them like crazy.

My cozy dorm in Ikenberry Hall is part of who I am now, but soon I will have to pack it all up and depart from the place that was my home for the past year. It’s crazy to imagine that in a few months another freshman will be living in this very room, sleeping in my bed and looking out of my window as I have done for so long. I only hope that whoever takes my place will love it as much as I did, and make as many crazy memories that they’ll always remember about their first year at JMU.

I had always counted down the days until I got to go home for breaks throughout the year, but this time is different.  This is the first time when going home is far more bittersweet. While I’m excited to go home and be with my family again, this time I won’t be coming back. We are all going to go our separate ways for good now (at least until the fall semester starts back up again in a few months).  We’ll all have to give each other extra long hugs goodbye to last us more than the usual week or two away from one another.

Cliché as it may be, make the most of everyday because wherever you end up living or whomever you end up meeting will be amazing, I promise. Things don’t always go our way, but guess what, that’s perfectly fine because it’s where you’re intended to be and it’s where you’ll make the most wonderful memories.

I cannot even begin to imagine what this past year would have been like had I not come to JMU. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I made the right choice in coming here. Move out will be the hardest day yet, because I am not only leaving my school, I’m leaving home. Though I’m extremely sad to leave, I know that it just means I have another incredible year to look forward to.

Thanks for a great year JMU, I’ll see you soon.