My Commons Life

News & features about the Vanderbilt Commons from the students who live here

Kyla Wagstaff

Lessons I have learned in my first month as a college student:

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“The days are long, but the weeks are short,” an older friend once told me upon reflecting on her first year of college. As I have begun to settle into my routine, I can’t think of a more accurate sentiment. Our busy days feel strenuous in the moment, but constant activities keep our minds flying so fast that we have little time to process them. 

So here we are, one month into our college experience. Each of us holding onto our own overwhelming amount of moments and lessons to reflect on, but here are some of mine:

We all had preconceived ideas of how college would play out, and whether you were fearful or unbearably excited, I am sure there have been moments that surprised you or played out differently than you would have imagined. What I have learned is that things won’t fall into place as quickly as predicted. Maybe this was a product of my high expectations and overexcitement, but everything good takes time, whether that be friendships, finding impactful study methods, or getting involved with clubs. 

Speaking of getting involved with clubs or organizations, that is another challenge in itself. I would have never expected how hard it would be to get involved. After endless rounds of applications, resume edits, and information sessions, I find myself itching to just be a part of something. Patience is certainly a virtue we are exercising during this time period, and it is quite challenging to be a freshman trying to expand your circle when you have to go through such extensive processes to do so. On the topic of building a social network and making friends, it’s easy to feel removed from the rest of campus as a freshman living on the Commons. This environment can feel like an echo chamber with only freshmen who are equally as new and inexperienced with college life as you are. Talking with upperclassmen is like a breath of fresh air, and we truly have so much to learn from their experiences, so I would recommend chatting with older students as much as possible. 

On Mondays and Wednesdays, I have a fifteen-minute window to get from Commons to Buttrick Hall. Everyone made it very clear to me that I would be booking it to that class and that, in general, the walk back to Commons from Main Campus was god awful. In this first month of classes, I have been pleasantly surprised with the fact that the walks do not take as long as everyone had warned me. Even on the hottest days, I enjoy those solitary moments on the way to and from class. 

Before the school year started, I was nervous for lecture classes and worried about feeling like such a small fish in a large pond. However, I have encountered professors who genuinely strive to offer support in any way possible. They may express their helpfulness in intimidating or stern ways, but they are here to assist you, and they want you to approach them for that assistance. 

Whether it’s a challenging class or spending time with groups of people that you don’t know, there are going to be situations that make you uncomfortable. It’s way easier to hide from that discomfort, but I’ve grown to realize that those moments are crucial for progression. We all grow in various ways and navigate this new experience at different rates. Some people take the time to quietly process how they are feeling, while others stay crazy busy and keep pushing forward to avoid those slow and quiet moments. All of us need to keep in mind that this is everyone else’s first month in college as well and that each freshman is trying just as hard as you are to find their place.

A Beginners Guide: Room Organization and Maximizing Your Space

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As we settle into our busy schedules, it will become increasingly difficult to take time to finish decorating and organizing our living spaces. So, it is important to set a routine for yourself as soon as possible to keep your room a clean and productive space where you can feel at ease and relax after your busy days. To get you on the right track in setting up your ideal dorm room, here are some tips to help you maximize space and keep your belongings organized and easily accessible. 
Firstly, make containers your best friend. Get easy-to-open bins of various sizes (don’t forget about the small ones) and categorize them. Having a designated bin for your items makes your life so much easier, especially when it comes to small, easy-to-lose items like scissors or hair ties. Make a container of miscellaneous toiletries and necessities; it will be easier to see when you are running low on a product or have misplaced something. 

Next, to limit the amount of clutter that may start to accumulate in your room, make a pile of things you do not use and want to bring back home. Our first few weeks of receiving new t-shirts, backpacks, and various other products have proven that we are going to collect a LOT of new stuff throughout the year. So, if you know you aren’t going to use something but brought it to college “just in case,” put it aside to send home with your family or to bring home at some point. 
On the topic of categorizing and sifting through what you do or don’t need, let’s tackle winter clothes. These tend to take up way too much room in our tight spaces, so don’t bring them out until you have to. Keep opposite seasons packed away until it’s time to break them out. Storing your winter clothes in a suitcase or large bin under your bed will save so much space in your room during these warmer months. When the seasons change, break out those jackets and fill that suitcase or bin with your summer wardrobe. 
Having a structured and orderly closet can be the key to keeping your entire room tidy. The shelves we are provided in the commons closets are the first step to this organization, and you should move them around according to the system you want to set in place. I would recommend moving down both the highest shelf, for more storage on top, and the smaller, middle shelf so you can hang shirts and shorter items above it. With this system, try to hang more items in your closet as opposed to stuffing them in drawers. Hangers are thin and allow you to fit many items in a confined space. For anyone with a lot to hang up, tiered hangers are great for fitting multiple clothing items in a tight area. You will get better use out of your clothes if you can see them all in front of you instead of digging through deep piles in your drawers. 

Moving down, the floor of your closet is a perfect place for a shoe rack to keep everything in one tight space and maximize that area. You can buy shoe holders that fold up and store easily while still fitting up to fifteen pairs of shoes. 

One of the best ways to make a space look clean is to have a neat and orderly desk. Regardless of whether you study or get ready at your desk or not, keeping it bare and uncluttered makes your whole room look so much more spacious. Plus, if you have a free desk, you will be way more inclined to make use of that space constructively. Also, don’t be afraid to take advantage of the blank space on the walls. Use command hooks/strips and hanging closet and supply organizers with pockets. Utilizing the bare walls can be the key to accessing your belongings more easily. 


Finally, Decorate! The more you make the space your own, the more comfortable you will start to feel in it. You may want to change things later and move stuff around for more convenience but give it time and you will start to figure out what works for you and the best techniques for creating your ideal space.

A Beginners Guide: Homesickness and Learning to Adjust

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As a recent boarding school graduate who arrived as a hysterical fifteen-year-old afraid to leave my own shell and graduated with tremendous skills and relationships that I was afraid to leave behind, I know a thing or two about the emotions that come with departing from home. Feeling lonely and unsure in a sea of new and unfamiliar faces is something that only time and experience can truly heal. However, by following some of these tips and realizing that you are never alone in feelings of homesickness or uneasiness, you will be set in the right direction. 

First and foremost, do everything you can to make your space feel like home. Take the time to set up your dorm in a fashion that can be your safe haven amid everything unknown right now. That being said, this is not the time to stay between the walls of your comfort zone. In order to start your experience off on the right foot, you have to get comfortable with branching out, especially in these first weeks. So cherish those quiet moments in your dorm, but don’t confine yourself to that space. 

Next, it is important to build a balance between keeping your friends and family at home informed without using them as a crutch. It’s great to call your parents to vent or share about your day, but don’t make it too habitual. Say yes to things on campus because sitting in your room on the phone with someone at home will only prolong this period of discomfort. You can go have dinner or explore campus with some new friends, and then call your friends or parents when you get back. 

When you’re in the dorm, keep your room door open or listen for commotion out on your hall. All it takes is you walking out at the right moment, and you could form a new connection or make a new friend. I would also recommend exploring your building. You never know who will walk out of the elevator or wash their hands at the sink next to you. 

Please keep in mind that it’s not weird to be alone when you are out and about. Be ok with eating, walking, or doing anything on campus by yourself. Once you get beyond that initial barrier of feeling vulnerable, you may even grow to enjoy it. Those moments alone keep you grounded in this heavily populated and high-energy environment. Take time for yourself by doing things that give you stability and keep you connected to the comfort that you left behind at home. You can decorate your room with pictures of you and your friends, go for a walk, or eat your favorite snack. For example, when I was initially adjusting to boarding school, I started a project to make my dorm feel more like my room at home by printing out images of my favorite album covers and using them to decorate a bare wall. 

It’s so easy to get intimidated in times like these, so get involved and stay busy. The more time you spend engaging in activities with new people, the less time you will have to overthink. Obviously, with orientation and freshman activities controlling our first week on campus, it’s challenging to create a routine. However, once classes start and you have an opportunity to join organizations that spark your interest, it will be easier for you to build yourself a schedule and stick to it. Personally, I find solace in structuring my time, and I am looking forward to getting into a routine that will make me feel more comfortable in this new environment. 

Finally, and most importantly, give yourself grace. It can seem like people around you have everything figured out, but no one really does. Everyone is excited to meet new friends and most likely feels just as overwhelmed as you do. Never count anyone out with one weird interaction, and just keep plugging along. Stay calm and patient, and remember that everything will work itself out if you give it some time.