The College Experience Essays - Startup Cult, DraftCarson Hill

The College Experience In High School, college seemed to be the scariest thing that I could think of. Whenever I thought about it my stomach would immediately begin to spin in circles. Although I was ready to go off and be by myself and meet new people I was scared to death at the same time. I didnt know much about the college experience and what I did know (or thought I knew) scared me. I pictured hard classes that I wouldnt be able to keep up with, people that wouldnt like me, long hikes to get to my classes, and horrible food. I couldnt imagine leaving the security of my own room, my own stuff where I want it, my friends that Ive spent practically my whole life with, my family who put up with all my little quirks, and my car!! What was I going to do without my precious car? Some of my friends that had already been to college and had come back to visit seemed so much older and more mature. I felt twelve years old in comparison. I thought that I would never be able to fit in. Everyone else that I talked t o didnt however seem to have this problem. They all were thrilled at the thought of being on their own and not having to worry about their parents telling them what to do all the time. And sure, the thought was extremely exciting to me as well, but how would I survive without my family and friends and the things that had taken me eighteen years to get used to. I felt like going to college was pretty much taking everything that I knew and had grown accustomed to and throwing it up in the air. The worst part about it all was that I felt like I was the only one that actually thought about this. I felt so immature and childish for actually being scared to come to college. After I thought I wouldnt be able to take the pressures anymore, I decided to approach my mom about the subject. I told her that I was a little scared and the thought of being on my own made me a little uneasy. Sweetie she said, I know its a little hard right now and things are a little confusing and overwhelming but it will get easier. Youll get to school and wonder how you ever got along living here and going to high school. And when you get a little nervous and think its too much just remember to stick it out and you can always come home. Talking to her definitely put me in a better mood about the way I was feeling but I still couldnt shake the nervousness that I got when I thought about the classes that I was taking and the enormous amounts of homework that I was going to have to endure. As time went by I began to not think so much about going to school and I just wanted to savor the time that I had left with my familiar friends. The summer before I came to school was probably the most fun wed ever had. We reminisced about our lives growing up and all the fun that we had over the years. We all knew that come September things would never be the same again and we had to make the most of it while we still could. As the end of August rolled around we knew that it was time to say goodbye and be on our way to our own independence. I packed up the memories of the last eighteen years of my life into about five suitcases and was ready to go. I still didnt feel like I was just as mature as my older college friends and I thought that I still looked like I was twelve years old but I figured I had to go sometime. We finally made it to the dorms and began unloading my clothes and the eight million bags of food that my mom had packed me. Although I wasnt too worried about my new roommate seeing as how she was a friend from home and