We all know the first year of college can be a pretty taxing and all around emotional experience. We asked our first year writers to share in their experience of this crazy rollercoaster ride. 

“Some Things I Wish I Had Known About College: People will just scream in the hallways at night for no reason. Mainly guys. Experiencing an all campus sober is like being shoved into a human washing machine. Any online dating attempts will result in so many awkward moments in the servery that you will want to drop out of college. Walks home alone at night on middle path can be moody, but are often also accompanied by seeing at least seven Papa John’s or Domino’s pizza delivery cars. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID PEOPLE ON THIS CAMPUS. They will find you, and they will (not) wave to you.” —Dylan Manning

“College is like summer camp and also an intensive in what you used to think you liked.  You don’t have a damn clue what’s going on, you’re inexplicably sick a lot of the time, and Jesus Christ what are you going to do once you get out of here? My room is covered in dust. I’m turning into dust. I don’t even remember what the outside world looks like anymore. McDonalds? I don’t know her.” —Autumn Gomez-Tagle

“First year of college has been a lot of eating, talking, crying, laughing, more eating, and not going to the KAC. It has been dry rice, bagels, and Honduras Light Roast Coffee. It’s been hungover walks on middle path, waving to thirty people you don’t want to see at 9am, and avoiding eye contact with acquaintances. Parts of this year have felt like a movie, others like summer camp, and some like crying in the shower, cause where the hell else are you going to do it? All that said Kenyon is home. Truthfully, Freshman year is always an adjustment, but this place is pretty darn special. I am going to miss it so very much over the summer.” —Izzy Michels