It all started out on Facebook. You suddenly had at least 20 new friends and went on a photo-tagging and wall-writing frenzy. When all of that wasn't enough, you updated your status every hour to let everyone in cyberspace know how fast and hard you had been hit by this common Boston College epidemic.
"Maddy has finally taken a hot shower but still wishes she was back in VA with her new appa loves <3333 MISS YOU GUYS!!!"
"Maddy can't wait to see her group in the Eagle's Nest 2morrow!! ApPa LoVE 4eva!"
Top this all off with the desire to text nonsensical inside jokes ("OMG [group member name] I totally just saw a [power tool/object from nature/sleeping bag/something covered in dirt] and it reminded me of the time we [played Catch Phrase on the bus/didn't shower/saved a baby from a burning building]! LOL") and hang out with people other than your roommates, and you've got a full-blown case of Post-Appalachia Stress Disorder.
It's really not your fault - it happens to the best of us - and luckily there are plenty of people who can help you assimilate back into society. To start off, you need to tell your roommates and pre-Appa friends that you still love them. All of this talk of making a difference in the world and forming a strong bond with people in just six days is pissing them off, and they're on the verge of putting Nair in your shampoo bottle if you ditch them one more time. I really don't want to see a bunch of patchy-headed crazies during this Sunday's meeting.
Next, it's time to go easy on the reflection-centric activities. While anyone can appreciate needing to take the time to ponder life's biggest questions, it's just a little odd when you start every conversation with your "highs" and "lows" for the day. We get it. Appalachia has made you appreciate having conversations with the people you care about, but both I (and ResLife) know that you don't need to turn off the lights, sit in a circle, and put a candle in the middle of the room to do that anymore. The members of your residence hall will thank you when they don't have to stand outside in the cold at 3 a.m. just because you thought your housing lottery discussion needed to go a bit "deeper."
