I want to take advantage of my last column, and the inevitable nostalgia that accompanies it, by reaching out to all of you freshmen and telling you to savor your first year at the University. You are at the apex of your college experience, even though, at first, it may not seem like it. I know the nerves of your first few weeks can feel overwhelming. You may experience the anxiety of making new friends, the fear of getting on the wrong bus or of embarrassing yourself by being that adorably clueless kid — the one who actually asks to go to the bathroom in the middle of lecture. All of this anxiety seems like it will last an eternity, but it only lasts for a little while.

And once it ends, you will begin to truly appreciate everything the first year of college has to offer.

For myself, getting lost and worrying about ending up on a bus going to Meijer instead of the main library was also a fearful challenge, however, in retrospect, I see that as part of the fun of being a freshman.

After I finally figured out the bus system and how to behave like a college student (or at least fake it), I felt pretty pleased with myself for traversing all those first few week obstacles. Now I know exactly where I’m going, which is a relief, but this sense of campus competence is not nearly as exciting as navigating the bus routes freshman year.

There is something mysterious and charming about the enormity of a 7.1 square mile university that most of us have never experienced before. The potential for adventure and intriguing pursuits are endless. Although walking around campus as a senior is still enjoyable, it’s not nearly as thrilling as it once was when everything was brand new. 

My message to you freshmen is to — rather than bemoaning the toils of getting on the wrong bus or showing up to the wrong discussion section — savor it. Relish the moments of challenge that you’ve never experienced before. In the rest of your college years, you will never feel this way again.

Experiencing college for the very first time is something you will never get back. You might go on to graduate school or other professional programs, but it will most certainly not be your first time at an institute of higher learning.

I strongly advise you to take full advantage of all the opportunities for exploration there are before you right now. Run around campus at night, climb on the Alma Mater (shh, don’t ask if that’s allowed or not), yell like a crazy person, shout at random people on the streets and play in all the fountains on campus (just don’t let anyone see you).

Take advantage of everything that is new and exciting.

Make sure you take a moment to truly appreciate how wonderful and fresh everything is. In the blink of an eye, you’ll be walking to your classes without even having to think about where you’re going, and Green Street will suddenly seem tiny instead of humongous.

Don’t get me wrong, your other years will also be amazing. There will be many more new and exciting things waiting for you like your first apartment, getting a job, going on service trips or studying abroad.

But when I think back to my favorite memories of college, they’re from my freshman year, my year of firsts.

Ever since last year, my junior year, I’ve envied the incoming class of freshmen because they get to experience the novelty that jump started one of the most exciting four years of my life.

All the apprehension and anxiety that ran through my head the first night I laid in my dorm room bed was only a precursor to all the exciting and wonderful things that were waiting for me.

In the famous words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once and awhile, you could miss it.”

Sehar is a senior in LAS. She can be reached at [email protected].