Hello Everybody! My name is Luke and I will be a freshman at IU in the fall, studying Spanish Education. Over the course of my college experience, I hope I will be able to give you all first hand advice about college itself and the ins and outs of Bloomington and IU. New experiences can be daunting, tough, and quite challenging for people. College is one of those experiences, a time to move away, start a new time in your life. However, these exciting moments can sometimes get the best of us. I, myself, have been looking forward to college since the sixth grade. Now that I am about to pack up and move away from my quiet, suburban town to embark on a social and academic journey that will change the course of my life forever, I find myself a bit intimidated.
Regardless, it is important to embrace change, for it is the key component to finding out who you truly are. My best friend and I recently embarked on a backpacking adventure to California earlier in July. We went in completely unaware at how challenging it is to carry everything you need for a two week camping trip on your back while hiking through trails that have the incline equivalent to a wall. In the end, we still found excitement and opportunity while vagabonding through the small towns of central California. Sure, this wasn't our original plan and yes, we had a few fights and mishaps along the way. Yet, this trip taught us that our friendship could withstand absolutely anything, we had more fun than we originally would have, and in the end, it was quite the learning experience.
In the end, it's important to know that change is a good thing. It opens the door to new encounters and opportunities you would have never imagined possible. Starting a new life in Bloomington, moving away from home and into a small dorm room, and having a roommate will have its struggles, but I know the end result is going to be 100 times better. Don't let the fear of the unknown stop you from experiencing the truly fulfilling moments that life has to offer you.