In 2005, Nickelodeon brought to the world Zoey 101, one of the most iconic and influential shows of my generation. Every kid I knew wanted to grow up with Zoey and her friends and attend Pacific Coast Academy, or PCA, the boarding school where Zoey went. Now, 11 years later, our generation is living our own version of Zoey 101 — only not at PCA, but at universities all over the world.
Throughout my childhood, I thought college was going to be like Zoey 101. I couldn’t have been more wrong. PCA seemed great, but honestly, I feel like my experience at UNC has been better. Sure, we don’t have a view of the beach, and we can’t ride our way around on a Jet X, but we do have a view of the mountains and bikes to borrow for free. We don’t have a restaurant called Sushi Rox, but we do have a new sushi place in UNC's student center. I haven't met a residence hall advisor named Coco, but the RAs I have met are pretty great.
During the months since move-in day this past August, I’ve learned that your college experience isn’t all about your location. It’s about what you bring to it. We don’t need the beach, scooters, or Drake Bell playing at our spring concert to make our experience a great one. As I look back now, it wasn’t the stuff that made PCA seem exciting — it was Zoey and her friends. PCA may not be 100 percent accurate when it comes to school life away from home, but it wasn’t meant to be. It was meant to be a show about teenagers who attend a boarding school located on the beach. But, instead it was a show about being independent, discovering who you are as a person, and making friends, which is what the college experience is about.
When you get to college, you may not meet people like Zoey, Logan, Chase, or Michael. But you will meet people will stick by you like them. The first few weeks may feel sorta lonely, but soon you'll fall into your place, and if you’re lucky you’ll find “your people.” Pretty soon, you’ll be having adventures, just like Zoey and her friends. Whether those adventures consist of late-night runs to the store, walks to go find food, movie marathons in your residence hall's lounge, or countless hours of board games, your friends, your squad, your people will always be there. Don’t go to college expecting PCA. Instead, expect an adventurous place where you can become who you want to be and, most importantly, find the people you want to be with.
Macy Jordahl
is a first-year UNC student majoring in Special Education. She's part of Best Buddies, the Student Council for Exceptional Children, and residence hall life. If you ever need a portrait drawn, she can do that, too!
