USD Magazine, Fall 2002

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

The New Kid on Campus Remember what it was Like to be a freshman - the new roommate, the maddening class schedules, the homesickness? If your memory is a Little hazy, we've askedfreshman Angelica Gonzalez, 18, from Orange County's Saddfeback High Schoof, to share her experiences during her first week at USD. Angelica wiff detail other aspects ofher freshman year - from activities to academics - in upcoming issues ofUSD Magazine. "Ooooooooh... !" That was the first sound I heard when I walked into Camino Hall, my new home at USD. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach at the thought of moving into a dorm room with a complete stranger. But somehow they disappeared when I met the source of that odd sound - an excited group of students with aqua colored T-shirts. Even with their yelling of "O" every few minutes, the Orientation Team was extremely helpful as I lugged my things to my room. After I walked up and down the Camino Hall stairway for what seemed like the hundredth time, all my stuff finally was in my room . As I scouted around, I realized there was only one closet. "Oh no," I thought, "there is no way all my clothes and shoes are going to fit in juse half of that closet." My roommate had already moved in, and all her scuff was on her bed. My scuff, on the ocher hand, was on my bed, desk, refrigerator and all over the floor. Just as I was beginning to think chat I had Meanwhile, I began to unpack. Lierle by little, the room started to look organized. Those bare, white walls got a touch of color as I hung pictures of the family and friends I left back home. My roommate lives only 12 minutes from USD, and she was planning to bring more things lacer in che week. I figured I'd bring all I could on my first trip, because my home is rwo hours away and it wouldn't be easy to make ic back. My roommate was extremely excited and friendly, but that didn't stop me from being nervous about living with someone else. Ac home I always had my own bedroom, and she and I are pretty different. I can be a neat freak at times and, well , my roommate isn't the cleanest person in the world. Sometimes it frustrates me when her drawers are overflowing with clothes and she doesn't bother pushing them in. When my half of che room is clean and organized, it's like night and day. We also have different castes in music. She brought her stereo, so she listens to her music and, frankly, I'm a little tired of Mandy Moore and Britney Spears. But nothing in this world is easy, and adjusting to one another is a work in progress. Ic's going to cake some time for us to gee used to each other, but I have faith that we'll compromise. Every day our liccle space in Camino Hall is more and more like home. Every day our little space in Camino Hall is more and more like home. overpacked, I remem– bered that my com– puter and television were still at home. My mother insisted on making my new bed for the first time.

Speaking of home, I real ly get homesick - usually at the end of a long day. Sometimes I wish I could tell my mom about my day in person instead of over the telephone. Unforcunacely, chat's the only communication I have with my family and friends back home, and things would be even harder if I didn't have chat. I look forward to the weekends chat I can go home. I'm fortunate to live close enough to visit every now and then , yet far enough away to still feel inde– pendent and brave for coming to USD. As for classes, finding the buildings they were in was the easy part - but finding the classrooms was hard, especially with room num– bers chat mysteriously stop and start. Fortunately, I was lace to only one class. Unfortunately, it was my Biblical stud ies class. My profes– sor didn't say anything, but I still felt rude and embarrassed. Since then, I've made sure I'm at least five minutes early to her class. Berween my Western Civilization class and Social Problems class, I only have 10 minutes. I was worried that I would not be on time, until I realized Serra Hall and Loma Hall are right next to each ocher. I have been to all my classes and I have enjoyed every one, although I have to admit taking English from 7 to 10 at night is someth ing I have to gee used to. Coming to USD, I was afraid of being completely different from che ocher gi rls. I heard they were all drop-dead gorgeous - in other words, call and skinny, with blue eyes and straight blond hair. I was sure I'd be the ugliest girl on campus. But once I got here, I realized that not everyone looked like a Barbie. I've found chat everyone is extremely kind and friendly, and I look forward to the adventures and experiences ahead as I explore campus and what it has to offer.

USD MA GAZ I N E

34