The problem with having the privilege of an upperclassman to move in at any time I want, is that inevitably, I’ll show up a lot later than originally planned. This of course, is what happened. Though I had planned to move in at some point during the three o’clock hour yesterday, on Saturday, I didn’t get here until three hours later. (I’m very much at fault though since I left most of my packing for yesterday morning. An unplanned pit stop to Ikea, my first trip ever, also resulted in a delay.)

When I finally got here though, it really didn’t feel like I had been gone for four months, except for the fact that most of the people I saw on my way to get my key weren’t people I recognized. Besides the inevitable new faces, the other major change is the fact that I’m in a different room than I was in last year but because I live in Honors housing, I still live in the same building. I’m thrilled to be living in a single this year. I love being able to have my own space, and because it’s a super single, it’s nice and spacious.

Honors students, like me, can choose to live in Honors housing, which is housed in Daniel McClea Hall, much more commonly known on campus as DMC. What’s neat about it is that it’s suite style, meaning that the building is divided into several suites which each have a varying number of bedrooms, at least two bathrooms, and a common room. DMC is coed and freshmen Honors students are also allowed to live in DMC, so though I’m a sophomore, my suite is actually mostly comprised of freshmen (seven in all).

When I moved in, I got to meet a few of my freshmen suitemates pretty quickly, and they seem like nice people. I’m definitely still trying to figure everyone out and what living with them will be like. It’s certainly an adjustment living with new people, especially ones you’ve never met, but I think it’s an important part of the college experience. My friend Sam lives in my suite this year, so there is a familiar face, which I appreciate.

After moving all of my things up four flights of stairs, my parents and I went out to a quite a late dinner at Harry’s Main Street Grille on Main Street right here in Westminster. I’d been there once last spring when my uncle and cousin visited me, and we liked it, so I thought my parents would enjoy it was well. Harry’s menu has a lot of options and prices are reasonable. (And since it was the end of restaurant week, prices were even lower.) Afterward, we picked up some forgotten and needed items (including the ever-necessary snacks, cereal, and soup) at Target on Rt. 140.

It was a little bittersweet to say goodbye to my parents when we got back to DMC, but once they left, I was able to reconnect with Avery, one of my best friends on campus and her housemates, many of whom I’m also friends with. I’m not sure what I did without late-night chitchat for four months, because it was awesome to laughing and talking with people my age again.

Overall, I’d say that though I had a late start, I had a great start to the semester. I definitely didn’t have time to unpack it in one evening, and I’m not finished yet, but I’ll get it done over the next few days!