When my first semester began at Parsons I was a little nervous. I knew everything would be fine eventually but there’s always that slow start where everything is awkward and uncomfortable. Before class began there were these orientation days where new students were invited to some lectures. I went to a few and felt quite alone, I guess almost everybody did but there were some groups of people who seemed to have been friends for years and I was trying to figure out how they all so friendly to people they had just met, honestly who keeps their guard down during their first interactions with someone? I just think that’s a strange thing, at least I’m a very private person until I become more acquainted with someone. I sat there in the auditorium trying to listen to what the headmaster was trying to tell us over the loud conversation happening in the rows ahead of me.
After that first lecture, I went to a room where students were supposed to meet with a group and their orientation leaders. Once again awkward. People trying to make conversation, candies on the table to try and break the ice with the already overly happy orientation leader. The day was soon over and the first day of class was almost upon me.
The first class I had was at nine am on a Monday which meant I had to wake up at six to be in the classroom on time since I live in New Jersey. Although I was excited about class I knew I wasn’t a morning person and would probably steer my new classmates away from a conversation with my constant yawning. Little did I know that the class would soon become relatively close, spending early Monday mornings together and late nights on Wednesday with six-hour classes and many group assignments. We would all provide constructive criticism towards each other’s works of art and laugh at the strange things our professors would say.
Other classes also had companions in them, I now have a new close friend due to one of my classes. I was surprised to find someone with very similar interests and a great sense of humor in a class where conversation was discouraged so students wouldn’t “leave the zone”. Other classes also joined quiet types, extremely unique characters and genuinely nice people into a group that probably wouldn’t have been friends if it weren’t for that class.
As I remarked at the beginning of this reflection “I knew everything would be fine eventually” I just didn’t expect it to be this soon. I’m very glad it did and in an environment in which I am now comfortable to bring my guard down and branch out to people that I might usually not make conversation with knowing the results will most likely be positive.
