One Day Until Year Three
One day until I move in for my junior year at Vanderbilt. While I wonder how it is that summer went by so quickly, there is no denying my excitement for the year ahead. I’ve spent the last three months keeping in touch with my friends from school via facetime and text, but I am dying to see them in person, catch up, and settle back into the Vanderbilt routine. It may seem like I’m being a bit idealistic about returning to school, but despite the stress and hectic schedules that college can bring, I wouldn’t trade my experience at Vanderbilt for the world.
Looking back at the last two years, I can see just how much I’ve grown and changed throughout my time as a Commodore. I began my first year at Vandy racked with anxiety about how I would make friends, fit in with my peers, and succeed in maintaining a school-life balance in a new environment (mind you, I went to a rural all-girls boarding school with 23 people in my graduating class, so this was a REALLY new environment). Despite the growing pains that came with the first couple months of being a Vanderbilt student and finding my close friends, Vanderbilt quickly became a home to me. I feel comfortable and at ease, I see people I love on a daily basis, and I’m constantly challenged to grow, academically and personally.
So, while this post is primarily a way for me to gratify my own nostalgia and excitement, I want it to also be a message to those of you who are reading as members of the Class of 2022, about to step onto campus in the next few days. It may be weird and uncomfortable and overwhelming at times to adjust to Vanderbilt and college life, but I promise that there is a niche somewhere in our community where you can find the sense of place and comfort that Vandy has given me.
If you have any questions regarding move-in or life at Vanderbilt, feel free to contact me at alex.rains@vanderbilt.edu.