College of William and Mary - Colonial Echo Yearbook (Williamsburg, VA)

Page 29 text:

.S S s 4 vi .-.Q f7'::, v LEFIQ' Unpxlrkznlu LIHHUft'llllht'KlIl1lft'Vt'Fl'IhlfIU wr rul- ued added In Ihr lt'Vl.XflIl! nflhvjirxr dun ur N :Ilmm und Marfv. Pham hy: M. Hmrvrx TOP: Jnwph HGFVUH fhvrlu nu! Ihe' hulhnmrm uf hu new hume. Photo hs' K l.ihuflm AHUVE: Ihmnr .Vulkus nmkm hzmwlf ui hnmc hx' ru- Iaxing with hi,sgu1rar. Phnlu hr K l zhurhu 1

Page 28 text:

That first day was the worst. Arriving on campus. having no idea where Yates was, and finally opening the door to .1 barren room with two beds. thin. rubber covered mattresses, fake wood desks and dressers. and tiny closets, was something ofa shock. Freshman David Koman's first reaction was Oh gosh, is this for real! At this point, many began to question iust how worth- while and necessary a college education really was. During the first few days of orientation, there was little opportunity for activity that was not already on the orientation schedule. Mornings began with walks to the caf in the obligatory big group. a group. ironically. with people who later wouldn't speak to each other. After this miserable meal, came Th Fir t Days hours of dorm meetings which attempted to explain area-sequence requirements, vari- ous placement exams, and the hateful regis- tration. Then came the seemingly endless hours of campus tours. By the time classes started. freshmen had gone through enough meetings and tours to make them feel quite at home in their new surroundings. After classes got started, things began to settle down. ln the words of freshman Laurie Koth, After spending the first week throwing up because of nerves, I found l really enjoyed college. Now began the long period of adjustment. Life would no longer mean staying after school for soccer practice or forensic meetings. There would no longer be the security of coming home to a quiet house, a single room, and a home cooked meal. Now life would mean sharing a bathroom with ten other people, having to do one's own laundry without ruining all those wool sweaters, learning what to risk and what not to touch at the caf, and when to bag it and order a pizza from Paul's. No longer would parents be around to lend money or help select courses for next semester. When freshmen came to college in Au- gust, they had to leave behind many famil- iar people and friends. But what they Two apprehensive Fresh- men load their belongings into the sparse rooms of Yates. Thefirst days were hectic but memorable. Photo bv: 11. Beavers f rin - .l . 1 Q-'tive Q an 1 ,, ,X - 7,1 N l W' il li Fruiit-tit Defitied

Page 30 text:

TTIN IE - 1 The First Days cont. rf' 0,3 l lHHl I' 'iluking the bell wus one of Ihejirxt tasks we in wif in ourrollt'm'1i1rz'er, P'lHl1lhV'.xf. Heuvers I N ll R l liiirln' I iiriwrighl niukes Iziniwlfmnifurl- Hr Allilkx In-'Il hi' uruumi as while. Durnis ,mun --vii' ii lifinii linux from Iwntr, Photo bi: K. l.lhll1'hU '11 lbttini-tl e 4 ,l found at college to replace them were many unique people. No where else but in a col- lege dorm could one find such a menagerie of different personalities and opinions. Republicans rooming with Democrats, southerners with northerners and wes- terners, catholics with atheists, and small- towners with big-city dwellers. No where else could one meet and make friends with such a diverse group of people. Freshmen gut a real taste of what it was like to be a college student after orientation ended and classes started. Days were spent trying to stay awake during Geo and Psych lectures. cramming for forgotten quizzes, and trying to finish papers. Nights were spent trying to stay awake while reading Geo or Psych, ordering pizza and making popcorn, or doing anything possible to avoid studying. Weekends flew by trying to blow off the steam and pressure that had built up during the week. Some used this time to decorate their rooms and to get rid of the institu- tionalized look. Others spent their week- ends trying to find ways to get into the seemingly endless smokers and mixers at the frat complex. Still others, those rare, diligent few, spent their weekend study- ing. After a few weeks of the cycle of study- ing and partying, some freshmen began to get homesick and long for the security of life with Mom and Dad. But with time, the friends made in the dorm began to till the void created by leaving home. Some would leave having made friends whom they would keep for the rest of their lives, A few would leave knowing that they would not return in the fall. ln the words of Margaret Ware, You never replace your real family, but you do become a part ofa larger one in your freshmen dorm, - Carolyn Carter