Things are definitely new as a freshman in college. And this being my second semester here, you’d think I learned a bunch last semester. Well… I did. If you could only imagine my journal from last semester. I wrote in that thing every single minute that’s how much I was having problems here. But, this being a character building experience, I learned from all the difficulties I had (or still learning).

"I'm not who I am and I'm not where I'm going. I'm so tired of knowing that there is no way of knowing." -Shawn Colvin

So this is now ::tada:: my FRESHMAN RANT. Although it is mostly my lessons I’ve learned since being here. So… Here it goes…

1. I had to learn that no matter what happens, to keep my heart very close to me. It really can’t afford to be broken at this point. I’m not ready for another broken heart yet. That has been very hard with all the boys I’ve met here. And me, being the little lonely person I am, have been looking for someone to in trust my heart with. Probably not the best idea, but something I subconsciencely do. Yupe. I’m a very lonely little chica. And there is a boy here I really like, but… I’ve been hearing some really bad stuff about him. And I’m really truly not his type of girl. He’s telling all his friends about how much he likes me. I want to try with him. I really do. There is this something about him. A spark from behind those eyes. Fuck! I’m getting myself worked up over here. I’m being very swayed over here on both sides here. "He’s a good guy, Cera!" "He could be trouble, Cera." "He knows you’re different from the girls he’s use to." "He was horrible to the other girls he was with before." What the hell?!?! I know that if I take the advice to not pursue him, he’ll be gone. And then I will really have no one. I’ll be completely alone. I won’t even have a shred of someone liking me to live off of here.


2. The whole concept of "Oh my god! What if I make no friends at college?"… Dude!! If you’re thinking that, STOP. There are so many different people at college that you’re bound to make a couple friends during the semester. You might even have people open up to you. My roommate, Jessica, she’s awesome! I tell her almost everything right now. Like my verbal journal. And definitely get involved with clubs and stuff. I got involved with my hall council and I met MAD people. I don’t usually like to get involved, but that was the best thing I could have possibly done since being up here.

3.) WOH! WOH! STOP! Why the fuck am I going into long involved speeches with all this shit. I’m breaking it down into a list. Lessons I have learned since being at college. You do the math….

1. Never room with you’re best friend. (That belongs at the top of the list.)


2. If a guy is drunk off his ass, don’t let him in your bed. Wrong thing to do.


3. Cafeteria food sucks. Avoid it as much as possible. (Freshman 15, my ass!)


4. People are a bit more open minded at college.


5. Never fall behind in reading a book. Professors expect those read within a week!


6. If it’s winter, take short cuts through all the closest buildings. It works.


7. A job on campus is a wonderful thing.


8. Definitely get involved in your Res. Hall activities. You meet lots of people that way.


9. It’s not a Res. Hall. It’s a dorm. No matter what you’re RAs say, no matter how hard the college tries, it will always be a dorm in every language possible.


10. You start to fucking swear A LOT being at college. It’s like; "I’m having fun swearing every other word." That’s cool. Just curb it when it comes time for parental units to come and take you home.


11. Don’t hesitate to write letters to your campus paper. If you’ve got something to say, say it!!


12. When in doubt, look up. The stars/clouds are a pretty good comfort sometimes.


13. Don’t rush into anything your freshman year. Just sit back and let things happen as they unfold.


14. You got real issues up there? Get a journal and use it as much as necessary. My journal has become my best friend in the whole world (not discounting my best bud, Anissa, up at Keene State).


15. Keep in close contact with the fam. They worry about you up there. I call my house all the time (I miss my cat, Isis, so much!!).

16. Yo! You want to watch the tube and someone else wants to watch something different from you? Gather everyone, in the dorm, who likes you’re show and start a club. Numbers drive the opposed people away.


17. Keep you’re door open for the first few weeks, just to meet the passer-byers. But after that, keep the door shut. An open door policy can only last so long before you’re room turns into Grand Central Station.


18. There may be a lot of people up at college to meet, but you’ve got to really becareful about who you trust. There are quite a few fake people around from what I’ve discovered.


19. Don’t expect to sleep much at college.


20. Learn everything you can about you’re phone and computer hook ups. Like how you can forward calls to another room or how the college can keep watch over what sites you visit on you’re free internet service with them.


21. Your Disc Man… pretty important college tool. Music feeds life. Listen to your favorite CD in your dorm room and turn it up. (as long as it’s not BSB)


22. Don’t over analyze things. It will just drive you crazy.

"I never knew I was built so strong. My heart is a boat on the sea." -Larry Klein/David Baerwald