After a year of taking virtual classes and staying at home all the time, it felt so good to start my junior year in person. As an epileptic, I’m used to my family knowing everything that’s going to happen and being told what’s going to happen ahead of time, but this time I’m on my own. This is going to be a new life experience for me, and I was very excited about it. Still I felt the same way I’m sure that every student has during their first day. A feeling of excitement with a mix of frightened nervousness.

It felt like an adult version of the first day of elementary school. The campus is more like a maze, and I had to find my classes on my own?! On top of that, I’m taking all of my classes with the same people for the next two years, not just for one semester?! That was the most terrifying part for me, because I had wondered, “Will we all get along?”

I’m sure everyone else was thinking the same thing, because we were still in that awkward first week. We had already set up a group chat before the semester to get to know each other better, but when we met in person, we still had those awkward conversations. Nonetheless, communicating via an app brought us closer together and allowed us to learn more about each other. I know it was extremely beneficial to me! They progressed from school-related conversations to conversations about anything. Our question was answered…we’re doing great!

I wasn’t always a social person, but this cohort assisted me in breaking out of my shell and becoming more open. I had already decided to assist all of them in any way I could before even meeting them, but after meeting them in person and spending time with them, I knew that my classmates are people who truly deserve it! With six classes, we are given a truckload of assignments to complete, most of them being due the next time we have that class. Honestly, cooking a meal for the entire class would’ve been much easier! Despite this, we all manage to get everything done by helping each other out, whether it’s a simple question or a large project. Not only are we assisting in answering a question, but we are also reminding everyone of the tasks that must be completed.

It’s only been one month since I started my program, and I must say that I’ve witnessed some memorable events with my cohort that I’ve only heard about. I know I don’t have to worry about being alone on campus because my cohort is doing what we’re supposed to do: being there for each other. My cohort aren’t just my classmates; they’re my friends, and I can’t wait to get to know them better and work through this new life experience with them!