First Day Of College

First Day Of College

Today was the day I had been looking forward to—the day I finally entered college, not as a visitor, not as one who had fantasized about it, but as a student. My first day at college.

I woke up early, full of vigor and a pinch of nervous excitement. After going through my normal morning routine—a freshening up and light breakfast—I put on in the carefully planned outfit I had prepared the previous evening. The instant I held my bag, everything felt more tangible.

Along the journey, my elder brother dropped me midway, and from there something unusual yet amazing occurred—I encountered a junior school friend. Life is full of surprises like this. I had left a gap in my studies, and now here we were—sitting in the same class, entering a new chapter of life together. It was reassuring and provided me with a little boost of confidence.

By the time we reached the college gate, my heart was racing. But I was not alone, and that was what counted.

Within, a couple of professors greeted us warmly and escorted us to class, providing instructions and small smiles of reassurance. The air was abuzz—fresh faces, awkward chuckles, and a collective feeling of starting out.

Before we even knew it, our first class had started, and lo and behold, it was being taught by our Head of Department (HOD) ma'am. She had this humble and gentle demeanor, and we felt comfortable from the very beginning. She greeted us, introduced herself, and then went on to ask each of us individually to do the same. That little bit of saying our names aloud in a new environment somehow made it real.

She told us about the topics we would be working on, the procedures and the policies, and what to anticipate in the next few weeks or so. Her tone was soothing—being there didn't sound so bad.

When time ran out, another instructor took the place of the last one. And so it continued. Each ma'am or sir greeted us with a smile and a friendly demeanor, explained their classes, and treated us as if we were in college. Each of us stood up one at a time, smiled, and said a little about ourselves—sometimes mortifying, but somehow liberating.

The day unfolded in a rhythm of firsts, soft laughter, and new beginnings.

And then, all of a sudden, the final bell rang. We gathered our stuff and were out of class, with more than just books and schedules, but with a sense of belonging too. College had started.

I arrived home tired, but happy. The nerves remained—but they had been conquered by something more powerful: hope, enthusiasm, and the start of a whole new adventure.