Finding a Home Away from Home

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           The idea of moving into a dorm my freshmen year was probably the scariest part of college for me. Looking back, I guess it was more than just the idea of missing family dinners, not seeing my dog when I got home from school or losing my own relaxing space. For me, it was confirmation that this was really it; I was officially moving away from home and living on my own. In the weeks leading up to my freshman move in, every Bed, Bath and Beyond dorm haul and res life e-mail was just a reminder that one part of my life was over and the safety of home would only be known on holidays and breaks. No matter how beautiful my dorm looked and  how nice everyone I had met on our class Facebook group seemed, I wasn’t sure if I would ever feel at home.

            However queasy I felt packing up my car and driving through Fordham’s gates as a resident for the first time, it was surprisingly okay. The great thing about Fordham is that the school doesn’t leave you alone your freshmen year. They know those few crucial months of school can be daunting and even anxiety producing. Within a few hours of being on campus, my welcome committee moving me into my room, my RA giving me my keys with a smile, and my parents tearfully driving away, I realized I wasn’t as panicked as I thought I would have been. This was my space; it didn’t feel like an isolated adult world but rather like a transitional space where everyone was in the same boat as me with RA’s there to help make this hall feel like a home.

            In those first few weeks, every hall meeting helped ease my fears. My RA even ran into me trying to find a place to Skype my mom and directed me to her favorite place to Skype where I could find some quiet. My Queen's Court RA took my dorm out to Shake Shack and the Brooklyn Bridge where the subway rides were filled with just talking, no ice breakers. She threw a nail painting party (complete with cupcakes) where my whole hall got together and talked about our own fears and thoughts about the process and I found that a lot of people had similar thoughts. To give you the short version, I felt at home. From then on whether an RA planned an event or it was planned by hallmates, it didn’t feel forced or unnatural. Studying in study lounges became commonplace. Awkward conversations over teeth brushing in the bathroom turned into lunch dates and I met my friends within the first few days and a little bit down the ways, my future roommates, my boyfriend and my best friends. Everything surprisingly fell into place.

            Moving into my new home (O’Hare Hall) was much easier this year. But the experience Fordham gives you your freshmen year is the best combination of giving you the autonomy to do what you want while having a support system always there if you need it. They help you find your home.