I woke up early with no problem. I always wake up easily when I am excited, especially for vacation! The first day at a new college is more than exciting, it’s a bit daunting. I had to go through being new and not knowing anybody all over again. Except this time, I’d be a sophomore in college.

When I woke up that morning, I went down stairs and grabbed some coffee…a little too much coffee and I was jittery the whole car ride to Columbus. The drive from Solon to Columbus is about 2-2 ½ hours if you go the speed limit. My dad was driving. We got there in 1 hr and 43 min.

Needless to say, I was jittery from the caffeine in the coffee, my heart was racing from my dad’s driving, I was nervous to start a new school, and excited, well…to start a new school.

First stop once on campus was the Schottenstein center to pick up my dorm keys and a folder of other things they hand out. We had a colored pass in our rear-view mirror that helped OSU staff direct us in the direction to my dorm. It was very efficient and quick. I am a ‘Z’ in the alphabet, so my time slot wasn’t too full.

When we finally secured a spot to park the car, two students in red t-shirts came to help. The t-shirts both said OWL on them in block white letters. I honestly can say I have no idea what that stood for except that it is a witty abbreviation for ‘students who help you move in’. I don’t know why it is ‘OWL’ though…

I went into the dorm and grabbed a red bin on wheels that is available to students moving in. The OWLs loaded it and brought it up to the 11th floor—where my room was. I met my roommate up there, we shook hands and then she went to lunch. It only took a few trips to bring everything up.

I lived in Taylor Tower on North Campus, and that dorm housed sophomores and freshmen. I was lucky to have a suite with our own bathroom.

My parents and I ran up to Target for a few last minute items and then we had lunch. They dropped me back off at my dorm. We hugged and said our goodbyes and they drove off. My mom was a bit teary-eyed…she was my freshman year too.

The doors to the dorm were shut and it took me a few tries to swipe my BuckID into the lock at the entry. I was not used to this since my former college used keys to get inside. I walked to the elevator and rode the 11 floors up. I went to my room and shut the door ( I locked it, mind you). The view was amazing from up there.

I started unpacking some of my things and took a break by sitting on my couch. Then it hit me, I’m at a new school! Excitement and nerves hit me.

Later that night we had a floor meeting and I met my R.A. (Resident Assistant). She was cool, and so was everyone else. It was a bit odd to me that guys and girls lived in the same hall since I had gone to a school where we were separated by wings and even floors. Turns out, boys do not have cooties. Mixed gender halls are very respectable.

I went to sleep in my new oversized twin bed with my foam mattress top, black body pillow, and pink blanket (reversable). My Buddha and John Lennon poster were staring down at me. Somehow, this did not comfort me. Though tomorrow would be an adventure. Tomorrow I would attempt to buy books!