Rylie Yeager ’25

Just as quickly as it arrived, September has disappeared, leaving us with nothing but blurry memories and a small taste of a new season. As a freshman, I truly cannot believe how quickly my first month at Pace went by. So much happened during the past thirty days that I couldn’t even begin to recount it all, but some particular moments definitely stand out in my mind that I will keep with me for the rest of my life.

Before moving in, my greatest concern (as I’m sure was the case for most freshmen) was abandoning everything I knew and starting a new life in a new city. In an effort to make friends, my roommates and I attended several “Welcome Week” parties.  To be completely transparent, I hated them. One thing that I’ve already learned is that if you don’t like parties, you’re not alone in the feeling, and there’s plenty of other ways to connect with people. I now have a friend group of about eight people, none of which I met at parties- my roommates and I simply went down to our dorm’s student lounge and talked to the first people we sat next to. By fully embracing the unfamiliarity, I was able to turn complete strangers into people that I spend everyday with. 

Life has actually been pretty mundane, but in the best way possible. I wake up and go to my classes, which I love, especially Intro to International Relations with the sweetest ever Professor Nayak. Then, I come back and take a nap. Most days I find myself cramming in a week’s worth of work in one sitting, which is a habit I hope to grow out of, but the work still gets done. I love my new life of complete independence, where I can choose to go to Sprinkles Cupcakes once a week or sit at the pier until dawn or eat a bacon egg and cheese everyday if I want to. I’m so grateful for my first month at Pace and I hope each month after will be just as lovely and opportunistic.