First Day of School Feelings
It’s official… my last first day of undergrad is over, and I am feeling a lot of emotions. This morning, as I was getting ready, I felt all of the nerves. Last night, I laid out my outfit (which I ended up changing this morning), packed my school bag, and charged my computer. I had to make sure I was fully prepared for my first day at my new school.
Before today, I hadn’t stepped foot inside a classroom since December 2022. It had been almost a year since I last felt like a student— attending in-person classes and interacting with other students in an academic setting. I wasn’t used to that environment anymore and, honestly, had gotten comfortable being away from it. Building up to today, I had a lot of anxious feelings about going back to an academic environment. But at the same time, I am so excited and feel so grateful to be here. My goal in coming to Montpellier is to grow and experience new things, and that can be really scary and intimidating, but that’s okay and totally normal! Sometimes growth can be uncomfortable at first, but that’s just because it’s new. This is the whole reason that I’m here: to go to school, get my degree, meet new people, and explore outside of my comfort zone.
This morning, I put on my “I feel so happy” playlist to set a positive mindset for the day to come. Today’s schedule was a bit unique, since it was everyone’s first day back, it was more of an orientation-style “Welcome Day”. There were no classes, just a day filled with introductory presentations, ice-breaker games, and a social lunch in the park. The day started at 9:30 in an amphitheater, so I planned to arrive early to give me plenty of time to find a seat before the crowd arrived. Big lecture halls and amphitheaters tend to make me feel anxious, so I wanted to find a place to sit without having to squeeze past people or feel a lot of eyes on me as I walked in. Apparently, everyone else had the same idea because when I arrived 15 minutes early, the amphitheater was nearly full!
After the lectures, we were split into groups and given a tour of the campus. During the tour, I met a few of my classmates, but it really was at the lunch where I met the friends— the friends you meet at summer camp or the first day of school that you just click with and stick to for the rest of the day— Yup, I met those friends! Coming together in Montpellier, France, we were one Canadian, one Irish, one Portuguese, and one US American bonding over our shared excitement and nerves about the beginning of our studies abroad. After meeting them and others at the lunch, my anxiety disappeared, and by the time I got home, I felt every negative feeling that I had leading up to today just float away. I am so excited. Today reassured me that I made the right decision in coming here and choosing this school.
One of the main reasons why I chose Montpellier Business School was its focus on diversity and large community of international students. I know that there will be so many new students coming from around the world that are feeling similar to how I do. There’s a sense of comfort that comes with knowing other people are going through the same adjustment that I am and are also looking to meet new people. Another thing that gives me comfort is that Montpellier is a “young” city that is home to several universities and schools. With there being so many people my age here, there are so many people to meet!
I got a bit lucky, because after I decided to move here I found out that one of my childhood best friends lives in Montpellier. She ended up moving to New Zealand a week after I arrived, but I still had the chance to see her and she showed me around the city, definitely helping me feel less homesick during that transition period. I also met my first two friends in Montpellier in the most random ways. The first one was mine and my dad’s waiter on our first day in France after 17 hours of travel. He noticed we were American and speaking English and sat down with us and explained all the important things to know about living and getting around in the city. After that day, I found out he is Lebanese and moved here for his studies too! My second friend that I met here was because my roommate happened to be a tour guide and I attended one of her tours of the city. This girl appeared to be around my age and so we started talking. She told me she was Italian and only here for a few months as an au pair. We ended up exchanging socials and becoming friends! I feel so lucky for having these experiences and meeting these people that really helped me with adapting and adjusting to life here.
Before today, I was worried that I had forgotten how to connect with new people. I’ve always considered myself an extrovert, loving conversation and social interactions, but for some reason the thought of making a first move and introducing myself was so overwhelming. This experience is the perfect opportunity for me to challenge myself to be more proactive, rather than waiting for someone to approach me. At the end of the day, what’s the worst that could happen? I go up to someone, say hi, and maybe they seem uninterested, I’d still be proud of myself for trying!
