a flamingo in a flock of pigeons?

All throughout my high school years I was considered one of the "strange ones". You know the type: the girl that nobody really wants to hang out with because she's so different than everybody else. In this case, "different" at Pee Dee Academy meant you didn't hunt, never owned camo, and randomly burst out in song. Because I was looked at in this way, I was terribly nervous about starting college. What if I can't make any friends? How hard will the classes be? These are just two of the many questions that ran through my mind on the long drive up to Spartanburg. However, as soon as I stepped on campus I immediately felt at home. Everyone I met was so welcoming and helpful. I realized that there really wasn't anything to be afraid of. This shows that, in reality, every other freshman is just as nervous as I was. I soon found out that there are actually other people in the world who enjoy the same things I do, and that definitely made me even more comfortable in my new home. Another thing to remember about the wonderful world of college is that it's perfectly fine to ask for help if you need it. Understanding the basics behind all subjects is the key to success and good grades. It's especially helpful if you have friends in your classes who understand what is going on because I find it a lot less intimidating asking them for help. Yet another thing to be learned about college is that you will get tired of the food in Gee. They have good food, yes; however, after a while, you'll notice that it gets repetitive very quickly. If you find this to be true, there are many tasty off-campus restaurants that offer tasty food for cheap. This last tidbit of information could be the most helpful of all: time management. Time management is a very, very, very helpful thing, trust me. During the first few weeks of school I didn't have a set schedule for anything and found myself extremely stressed because I had so much to do. However, after making a schedule and forcing myself to follow it, I found that it was a lot easier to get everything done. Because I had all of my schoolwork done I had time to spend with friends. This brings us full circle-don't be afraid to be yourself at college! I guarantee there's someone just like you. So, let's review what we've learned, shall we? Number one: don't be afraid of what others will think about you; they feel the same way about you! Number two: food in Gee is good, but good food can also easily be found off-campus for less cash. Number three, and most importantly: time management. You will have time for everything. You just have to make good decisions on what you spend your time doing!