UNC was the last place I wanted to go to college. After growing up the youngest of four, going to the same school that my older sister goes to seemed like a concession of the identity I was grasping for. Despite my grievances over sharing UNC with her, experiencing my first year alongside her senior year provided invaluable support and an incredibly meaningful two semesters.
The first year of college is challenging, to say the least. Having an upperclassman to guide you not only offers you direction in every area of college life, but also prompts mindfulness of the transience of your college experience. With a path laid before you, you can choose where to follow the footsteps and where to diverge — forging your own track, with the knowledge of someone who has already walked one.
Even before I stepped foot on campus, my sister was at my side. She guided me through the whirlwind of finding a roommate on Instagram. She was my personal “what not to bring to college” TikTok video. She was my advisor when I tried, and failed, to register for classes for the first time. She was a roadmap for what I needed to do in every situation I found myself in.
When I arrived at UNC, my sister didn’t disappear; she kept holding my hand through all the logistical challenges I had and started showing me how to make the most of my four years here. She taught me how to survive college, but also how to love every second of it.
I spent countless afternoons eating lunch with her, debriefing on every experience I’ve had and being in her house talking to her friends about their lives and how our first-year experiences compare. These times weren’t focused on the fact that I was three years younger. They weren’t workshops to give me advice or prepare me for challenges. But afterward, I found myself feeling more prepared for hallmark college obstacles and increasingly appreciative of all things UNC.
Every first I had was my sister's last. My first fall FDOC was her last. Her last UNC-Duke game was my first. The list goes on. This, and simply being around seniors, was a constant reminder that there would be a day when I did whatever I was doing for the last time. There would be a day when I wished I could move into Craige for the first time or go to my first UNC football game again.
With the thought of my sister’s lasts and her impending graduation weighing on my mind, I’ve worked to make the most of every moment in my first year. I’ve spent sunny afternoons on the quad with my friends. I built a snowman by the sand volleyball court outside of my dorm. I decorated my suitemates' rooms for their birthdays. I took my AirPods out to listen to the Bell Tower ring.
Being around seniors my first year at UNC didn’t give me a sense of terror that time was slipping through my fingers. Instead, it filled me with excitement for everything I was experiencing and everything still ahead of me, and it equipped me to handle every curve of the road.
Whether they’re offering advice, answering questions, setting an example or simply reminding me that my situation is temporary, having an experienced mentor when you’re stepping into any unfamiliar situation is indispensable. With a senior to guide me, I now know how to traverse the structure of UNC and how to squeeze every ounce of meaning out of my eight semesters. If a door opens for you to form a bond with an upperclassman, I implore you to walk through it — countless benefits await you on the other side.
