NCSU Talks Themselves Up!!

Okay, okay, I'll admit I wasn't the red-wearing, Wolfpack cheering, UNC-hater, NC State fan that some kids are. But after my orientation, I can already see myself shifting that way. They played mind trickery- it's like brainwashing us to love the school we chose. Say everything great about State and everything bad about our rivals, and "the little blue school down the road" in particular. I left feeling certain I had chosen the right school, and for that, I have to give the Orientation staff and leaders a round of applause. You have successfully "brainwashed" me into an adamant Wolfpack fan!!

What once was a closet with only two red shirts has exploded into a closet with many more.
What once were fine and dandy UNC rainbows (flip flops) are now unwearable and embarrassing.
What once was a totally confused high schooler is now a determined, certain baby wolf.
What once was a young girl who wore the wrong color to State football games will learn that red is best!

But honestly, why was I even allowed to go with my family to the game wearing that???

No one in our family cared about Chapel Hill until Camille made that her school choice. I went from a raised-wolfpack fan, to a defiant daughter saying "absolutely never a Wolfpack," to "I like Chapel Hill because Camille goes there," to Camille was jipped so "absolutely never a Tarheel," to "Hey State, you don't look so bad after all!" to "NC STATE!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!"

What a journey I have come on to end up back at State, back in Raleigh! God works so slyly but I can already understand some of His plans.

Because now after talking to some of my UNC-bound friends, I have validated my reasons for loving the pack!! I once again am reminded why I didn't even bother applying there. The opportunities that await at State are beyond belief. So much is in store for me and every resource for success will be available. If I fail, it will be all my fault for not utilizing the many aids and services. In particular, the pre-med resourses. I have confidence that Dr. Flick will serve as a wonderful guide toward med school, and she has already suggested an internship for next summer that pertains to my OBGYN interests AND linked us to a MCAT prep course that I will begin taking in September. Never too early to start!!!

But enough about the academic part, college brings new people. I'll admit that I wasn't really looking forward to the awkward "making new friends" aspect of orientation. I want friends, but making them is never as easy as having them. Every one puts on their best self and who knows what's behind the mask. Pooja's tweet captured some of my feelings going in to orientation:

Until... Jessica asked me if we wanted to be orientation roommates! We had "met" on facebook during the roommate search but she had already found hers. Since we have the same major, we went to the same orientation and knew we wanted to officially meet up. The morning of, she waited for me in front of the dorm check-in so that we could walk up to the table together and get the same room. And since God had His hand on us that day, He put us in the same orientation group. Only by providence did we happen to be in the same small group that you spend the whole day with. Otherwise, we would have been separated. From that moment on, the whole day was better. Always having someone to talk to, someone to walk with and not feel alone, someone to ask questions, someone to laugh with. If I turned around and didn't see her, I felt suddenly less comfortable. Plus, meeting new people is always easier when you have someone standing next to you. I think we both felt like we had known each other longer than a day by the time evening came.

I am so excited for the start of this friendship and all the many memories that are yet to be made. And just the other day, she texted me the good news that we are on the same floor in our dorm building. So basically, I can run to her room in my pjs without being seen by too many people. Only a few doors down the hall and she'll be there!! Another providential intervention there!! I can definitely see the pieces lining up to get me excited about State. That has been my prayer every night: "Make me fall in love with NCSU!" 

Here are some orientation highlights:

• Meeting Jessica
• Attempting to learn my way around campus
• Enjoying a golf cart ride from one side of campus to the next after taking my Spanish-placement test
• Getting my schedule approved
• Rehashing high school memories with old bio classmates (the good and the bad)
• The song game where the leader said a word (love, friend, baby, etc.) and your team had to sing a song with that word in it. If you didn't come up with one in time or repeated the song, your team was out. 
• Meeting Rachel, another girl in my major who I met on facebook and will be living in my dorms.
• The evening activities, decorating snapback hats (even though I am not "cool" enough to wear them right) and playing corn-hole
• Eating NC State ice cream straight from the carton with Jessica (We ditched the movie to "go to bed" but ended up staying up just as late talking.)
• Being shaken out of bed my the loudest fire alarm at 2am in the morning. I really thought it was some kind of planned prank on us newbies to drill us on evacuation. Even so, a 2am fire drill is quite cruel. A bunch of rising-freshman standing in the parking lot in their pajamas is kind of funny - at that point, you just have to laugh. Some Crazy chose to pull the alarm. How rude!! But thanks for the unforgettable night!
• Seeing a 2nd grade classmate and going over to say hello. She looked the same after a decade; I was certain that's who it was. 
• The pep talk by Dr. Flick, convincing me that I can do poorly on something, stand up, brush myself off, and still reach my goals of med school! Oh, how I needed to hear that encouragement. 
• Time with Dad in the car on the way home, comparing all we heard and talking for a majority of the time we were on the road. I now see why it's extra special to share the bond of the same school with your parents. 

Click to zoom.

So college begins in three short weeks! I meet my roommate tomorrow and once I do, there will be nothing stopping me from running full force towards move-in day. I'm ready! Okay, maybe not as ready as I think. There still is a lot to do, money to be made, and time to be spent with my parents.

What once was the future is happening now! I still can't believe it. Soon... I will be tailgating at football games with my friends (just like my parents did in the 80s).

 And on one very special day, I will don the red robe and graduate... just like my parents did!

Though challenges are coming, challenges bigger than ever before, I will trust in the One who sees the years ahead. Time has come to put the rubber to the road and begin creating the rest of my life. I look forward to taking this education and moving on to even grander things. I look forward to the forever friends I will make. I look forward to this stage of life...

For everyone says, COLLEGE YEARS ARE THE BEST!! 

Hugs!

Your newest Wolfpacker

P.S. Excuse the many typos!