TRUEBLOOD: College cultivates character, interests

Last Sunday around 10:30 p.m., I finally found myself alone in a navy blue armchair on the third-floor lounge of Schramm Residence Hall. Matching chairs and a sofa surrounded me in a semi-circle, and a few forgotten papers laid scattered on the carpet.

Just moments earlier I was surrounded by about 40 excitable, talkative college girls whose eyes had been fixed on me for an hour while I attempted to explain all of the policies and expectations to my new residents.

All day long my mind played through the agenda I had for the night: alcohol policies, safety procedures, quiet hours and interesting facts to share about myself. I breathed a quick prayer behind the privacy of my dorm room door before approaching the gathering group of girls in the lounge with feigned confidence.

I wanted their respect for the position I have as their resident assistant; I also wanted them to feel like they can trust me as a friend and not be fearful that I'm out to get them in trouble.

Throughout the meeting I tried cracking a few jokes, which they graciously laughed at. I realized that many of them, especially the freshmen, were probably just as nervous as I was, and I wanted to make them all feel comfortable since they will be living on my floor for the next nine months.

After I had checked off each item on my agenda, the girls dispersed in one huge wave as the meeting closed. As I sat and looked around me at the suddenly quiet, empty lounge, I couldn't reconcile the surreal reality with my former expectations. At the start of college two years ago, I never would have pictured myself where I am now.

I vaguely remember my freshman year: The day I moved in, I first went to Abel Residence Hall to check in when I was actually living in Schramm. How was I to know the difference? After the shuffle of moving in and waiting in long elevator lines, my parents said their goodbyes. My mom's eyes glistened slightly, and my dad's expression conveyed his tender disappointment that I was leaving, but also his pride in how far I'd come.

I was too excited to think about my emotions. It wasn't until later that night as I lay in my lofted bed, my nose 12 inches from the ceiling, that the reality of being on my own finally sunk in, and a few warm tears wet my face. I guess my body didn't know how to respond to the foreign feeling of independence and decided crying was the best catharsis.

Lincoln did not immediately feel like home for me. As with any major life transition, it took time to get used to my new surroundings. Before school began, I had doubted whether Lincoln was where I wanted to go. Despite my uncertainty, I quickly realized the potential in college to become more like the person I've always wanted to be: confident, outgoing, sociable, relational.

To develop those qualities I started smiling at strangers and making conversation with people in the elevator. I looked for ways to get involved. I joined the Navigators Christian ministry group and was welcomed by warm people who soon became some of my best friends. I finally had a sense of belonging; finding my place made such a vast campus feel a lot smaller and much more inviting.

Throughout my sophomore year I continued to meet new people and build relationships. I started working at the front desk of a few of the residence halls and met even more people, including staff members, resident assistants and students who frequently passed the desk. I love running into people I know everywhere I go; the familiar faces make Lincoln feel more like home.

My friends joke that I know everyone on campus. It's not a popularity contest for me, though – I genuinely enjoy meeting new people and learning about their stories. It was my curiosity to know people, and the encouragement of a friend I met through my desk job, that led me to switch my major from English to journalism – a decision that has also significantly impacted my college experience.

Prior to transferring over to Andersen Hall, I never believed I had a place in journalism. The J School, as it is affectionately termed, introduced me to an array of professors and students who showed me otherwise, and I realized I'd found another niche.

If I had not taken my friend's advice to try it out, I would not be writing this column right now, or any of the previous columns I've had published, for that matter. It just goes to show what random opportunities occur when you decide to try something you never thought you'd see yourself doing.

While sitting alone after my first floor meeting, I took a moment to reflect on all the choices I've made that led me to where I am now: I broke out of my timid character by initiating conversation with new people; I found a place in the Navigators that made me feel like I belong; I got a job at the front desk of the residence halls and met a friend who encouraged me to switch my major; I met faculty and students who helped me find my place in the journalism school; I realized how well my curiosity to know people and my passion to write meshed together, and I applied for a job at the Daily Nebraskan.

Through all of the activities I've been involved in and the social network of people I've connected with, I've developed more into the confident, outgoing, sociable and personable individual I wanted to be. Thanks to those characteristics, I was selected by my resident director to join a staff of amazing resident assistants whom I am so glad to know and work with. I also have a floor of awesome girls I look forward to living with.

In the few short weeks I have been back in Lincoln, I can tell this is going to be an unforgettable year. The steps I took to get to where I am have made my college experiences so fulfilling. I know some people are just trying to "get through" college, but I've been enjoying it so much that I'm not sure I'll ever want to leave. I hope that as a resident assistant I can share tips from what I've learned and help the girls on my floor have an unforgettable experience of their own.