SXU RSO Carnival; Samantha Alcala and a friend The Xavierite
Like most first years, I found myself feeling anxious at the beginning of the fall semester. It was a completely new environment, different from anything I was used to.
Alongside this, I didn’t know a lot of people, so I thought why bother attending events? This included homecoming week, which is one of the biggest events of the semester.
At first, I didn’t mind skipping out. It didn’t seem like something that would interest me, especially without close friends to go with.
Then, a new friend of mine encouraged me to check out the RSO carnival with her. It was unexpectedly one of the most fun days I had that year. It was also (unfortunately) the only homecoming event I attended.
The friend I went with was someone I met on one of my first days at SXU, and it made us closer friends.
In fact, that same friend introduced me to more people, which is how I ended up with my college friend group.
Whenever I look back on Homecoming Week, I wonder if my friend and I would have gotten closer sooner if we went to all the events together. Maybe we would have met new friends to include in our circle.
Outside of that friendship, there have been so many instances where people around me talked about how fun Homecoming Week was for them. It made me jealous, I felt like I missed out on something special.
Especially the Homecoming parade, every story I’ve heard from the parade is always filled with fondness and happiness. Missing the parade is one of my greater regrets.
My biggest regret about it all isn’t even missing out on the events themselves, it’s how I let my fears control me. It nearly ruined my college experience.
For the first few weeks, I would go to class then find a place with few people and waste time on my phone until the next class. If I had a car at the time, I would’ve spent the majority of my time there instead.
I was so afraid of rejection and feeling like an outsider that I didn’t fully let myself enjoy my first semester of college. I missed so many fun events because I didn’t want to go by myself.
If that’s you right now, you’re not alone. Everyone is scared.
Don’t let that fear paralyze you. Look at the people sitting around you. Ask for their names, get their socials, talk to them. You never know who will be the friend you go to the RSO carnival with.
Even if you don’t find a friend to go to events with, just go anyway. It took until my spring semester to go to events on my own, and I found that I had a lot of fun.
There’s always this sort of apprehension towards being by yourself, but I think going to events alone can be incredibly rewarding.
You get the opportunity to explore what YOU like outside of a group context.
College is the best time to do it too, you’re starting fresh and nobody knows you. Who cares what strangers think of you?
The main thing I want you to take from this is that the college experience can be one of the greatest parts of your life, don’t let it pass you by. Go to homecoming week.
The worst that could happen is you do find it boring, but you won’t be filled with regret or what-ifs.
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