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"Some important people I've met my first month"
September 22, 2006
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| Michele and roommate Kendall |
It just occurred to me the other day that I have been in college for
a month. I’ve been away from my comfort zone and family for quite
some time, and I’m still alive. Before I left on the 20-hour journey
from Michigan to Winter Park, I was sure that I was ready to be on
my own and free from the ever-lurking gaze of my loving parents. But
after they left, and I realized that I really was on my own and they
weren’t going to walk in the door and ask me how my day was, it was
relieving but also scary.
The first week of orientation was hard. Lack of sleep, too many
activities to count and the nervousness of meeting new people left
me homesick. I was surprised at how much I missed my big bed,
predictable Michigan weather and even the softer Michigan grass. For
a few days I wondered if I was ready, but with the help of a few
people I came to realize I was more than capable for the challenges
of college.
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| R.A. Jaime and Michele |
The first person that helped my transition is my dear roommate
Kendall. With the help of Facebook, I looked her up during the
summer and began talking with her. On move-in day, I was more than
anxious to meet her. My family arrived a little before 8 a.m. ready
to move my stuff in. It took us about two hours to get settled in.
By the time we were finished, Kendall hadn’t shown up yet. I was a
bit worried, but after a lunch break with my Mom and Dad I returned
to my new room and found her unpacking. After introducing ourselves,
I found it easy to talk to her. We had a lot in common and happily
we have the same sense of humor. The person I was most worried to
meet has turned out to be someone I really like and enjoy spending
time with.
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| Peer Mentors Derrick and Krystal |
My resident adviser (R.A.) Jaime has also made things easier for me
and everyone on our floor. She is one of the nicest and funniest
people I know. Your R.A. really comes in handy. They have a nifty
binder that has any number around campus you might need (including
Domino’s pizza) and they can answer most of your questions, or at
least send you to the right place to get an answer. One day ,I came
back from Wal-Mart with a shelf that I thought would be an easy
assembly, but it turned out I needed a hammer and screwdrivers
(something I didn’t think to bring). Jaime came through with a tool
bag she had conveniently in her closet. At first I was skeptical to
ask Jaime questions because I thought it would bother her, but after
our hall meeting I found out she’s there to keep the hall in order
and help in any way she can.
Almost like Jaime, my Peer Mentors are people that are available at
any time. Jaime as an R.A. is on and off duty. So sometimes when I
went to see her she would be off duty and hanging out with her
friends. In that case or if I didn’t want to talk to Jaime about
something, I call my Peer Mentors Krystal and Derrick. I’ve talked
to them both about being homesick, and I’ve hung out with Derrick
outside of our
Rollins College Conference (RCC) class. Since they are
upperclassmen, they know the lay of the land and are there to help
with the transition from high school to college. They were the first
people I could wave and say hello to walking around campus. They
have helped me a lot, and I know if I need anything I don’t have to
hesitate to call and ask.
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| Director of the Olin Library Jonathan Miller |
The final group that has helped me with my first month in school is
the reference staff in the Olin Library. I know they are an odd
choice, but without them I wouldn’t have been able to look up
articles and books for papers I’ve had to write. There are so many
programs that can be used to get information on essentially
anything. At first it is intimidating, but instead of just staring
at the computer screen and wondering what to do, walk up to one of
the people at the desk and ask for
some assistance. I was beyond
confused the first time I went to use the database. I didn’t want to
waste any time so I asked Jonathan to help me. He walked me through
which programs where the best for the kind of information I was
looking for, and he kept following up making sure I was doing ok.
He’s one of my favorites!
This first month has been hard, but fun all at the same time.
College I can already see is going to be a time I’m never going to
forget. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me. Talk to
you guys later!
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| More about Michele...
Michele learned to speak up and get involved when she moved
from a small private school to a large public high school in
Michigan. She plans to join All-Campus Events, participate
in community service and work for
The Sandspur,
Rollins' student newspaper.
Michele said, "I know now not to hide in the shadows and
wait for someone to notice me. I want to let prospective
students know there is a place for them at Rollins no matter
what they like to do."
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