Liminality and the College Transition - Carter Jobe

 Liminality, as discussed in class, is the phase of being 'in-between' two worlds. In our day-to-day lives, liminality can occur when one is between two things (think: moving houses, changing jobs). It comes with a feeling of uncertainty and anxiety and presents the challenge of adjusting to the new change while still having the mindset of before the change.

For me, I experienced liminality in coming to CNU. As a freshman, last August marked the beginning of my adult life when I unloaded my things into my form room. Like other typical liminal phases, I was overwhelmed by feelings of stress concerning my new home and new way of life, and it almost didn't feel real. I existed in a space of uncertainty, where my old routines no longer applied, and new ones had yet to solidify. This feeling persisted for months after coming here, until at some point it began to feel like home. It didn't help with my transition that I was feeling homesick and driving home almost every weekend, which created this jarring reality of me slugging through the week at CNU to enjoy my life at home on the weekends. 

In my second semester, I've begun to feel more at home here, and the anxieties of a new place are wearing off as familiarity is established. It was certainly a learning experience to deal with my first bought of liminality in my transition to college.

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