Anonymous Confessions of a New Freshman

The Journey Begins
March 9, 9:15 a.m.
I will be driving by myself to Eau Claire, Wis., for my first on-campus college visit. My mom couldn't come because she had to work, but I think I can handle it. I have a tour of the campus set for 11 a.m., so I have to get there a little early to make sure I get all the information.

March 9, 11:15 a.m.
I arrived! I bumped into an old friend who just finished a Calculus II test. (Hope I don't have to take that course!) Instead of taking the usual tour, he offered to show me around campus, so I took him up on it...

March 9 1:20 p.m.
We're sitting in the auditorium now, getting information about the different majors the school has to offer and what it takes to be accepted. They talk about things, such as ACT requirements and all that jazz; I'm relieved to discover my score was high enough for possible scholarships.

Aug. 20
I sent in my application to UW-Eau Claire. I am very excited to hear back about whether I'll be accepted.

Sept. 1
I'm beginning to have a few doubts ... I've never second-guessed this decision before because I always thought I'd go there. Now, after talking with my mom and older sister, I'm beginning to wonder if a Christian college is the way to go. My faith has always been important to me, and I thought ministering on a regular campus would be sufficient; but having a spiritual community of believers is also important to me. Looks like I'm back to the drawing board.

Sept. 16
I received my acceptance letter from UW-EC. I'm not nearly as excited as I thought I'd be.

Sept. 23
I attended a college fair and found information on Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota. My sister recommended it to me, so I thought I'd pick up an application and take a look.

Oct. 7
I decided to go and visit Bethel for myself and instantly felt like it's a place I could really enjoy. All the people are really nice, and I loved the campus environment. I turned in my application and found out acceptance letters won't be sent until January. Filling out the application itself is a lot of hard work! You need to have your ACT score and high-school transcript available, have teachers and your pastor write recommendations about why you'd be a good candidate for their program, and compose an essay about your faith. Whew!

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
Jan. 10
I received my acceptance letter to Bethel College! I actually wasn't that nervous about opening the envelope. I was so relieved that I finally was securing my future plans.

Jan. 15
I also received an academic scholarship from the school!

Feb. 1
It seems like I'm getting mail from my new college almost every day. I sent them my final decision application and filled out my health information.

March 26
I got my first financial aid package, and it turned out really well. I am very blessed! It looks like I'll be doing work study, which will be fun and help out with expenses!

April 1
Time for the good ol' housing application. I filled out what kind of personality characteristics I want in my new roommate. From that, they will assign a roommate based on what I said I'm looking for. I hope to get a good roommate who's not psycho ...

June 1
More forms to fill out. This time it's health history, housing location preference, schedules and all that registration stuff. It's surprising that I didn't get writer's cramp.

June 28
I received my roommate information and now know her name, where she lives and have her phone number handy to find out ore later. I also got my tentative schedule that I'm really excited about. I have no classes until 9 a.m., which is perfect! All of my classes sound interesting, and the timing between them is wonderful. I will have plenty of time in the afternoons to work and enjoy myself.

June 30
I gave my new roomie a call. I admit, I was a little nervous to call her; but after I started talking to her, I was very comfortable. She has a great personality and actually reminded me a lot of myself. We have a lot in common, and we've also been texting and e-mailing to talk about things we want to have in our room.

July 1
I am preparing for college nonstop these days. I am planning on buying a cordless phone and answering machine, a down comforter, a laptop computer (hopefully) and a desk chair. That's all I can think of for now at least. I also need to figure out where I want to bank and have to pick up a ton of personal items, such as shampoo and soap. The countdown to moving out is getting closer every day, and I'm really excited!

As this publication goes to press, we checked in with our anonymous freshman-to-be, and she now has only three weeks until her first day of college. She's already begun to pack, finished up the remainder of her back-to-school shopping and is enjoying spending some last-minute time with her high-school friends (many of whom are leaving for college before she does). She is also celebrating the fact that she passed both of her advanced placement tests in psychology and English. With her scores, she was able to skip freshman-level courses and is moving right on to sophomore classes. Her mom, who's helping foot the bill, is especially grateful for the savings!