Love at first sight (or just my first week in Mostar)

 The first song of an album is a very important one. It’s not just the start of something great; it must be great in itself so that listeners get hooked to the music early on.

There’s a good reason for this: back in the days of vinyl records, if the first song on a record was bad, you would just turn off the player and complain about wasting your money. Nowadays, we don’t really struggle with that kind of analog problem, but the point still remains the same: if the first song on an album is bad, you’ll turn off the music and go back to TikTok.

What makes it difficult for bands to choose the first song of an album is that greatness is subjective. Getting people to agree on what’s great is as hard as listening to a new Taylor Swift album all the way through. However, we do seem to have an idea of what makes a truly great first song on an album.

It has to be intriguing, integral, and impressive. It also has to be catchy and unique. And, without a shadow of a doubt, I can say for sure that my first week at the United World College in Mostar has fully met those requirements.

An almost-unreplicable cocktail of homesickness, jet lag, and tiredness has resulted in one of the most exciting weeks of my life, but also one of the most important. It’s not just the first week of a simple boarding school; it’s the first week of the rest of my life.

Just as the first song of an album must leave you wanting for more, this first week has left me excited about the idea of the rest of my life being just like this first glimpse of the UWC experience. It has taught me that you don’t have to live somewhere for a long time to call that place home, and that you can both love your friends and be away from them.

It has taught me that no matter how much research you do, there are things you can’t fully understand until you feel them for yourself. It has also taught me that living with roommates is worth it when they’re not just people, but people who are going through the same ups and downs as you.

Of course, it hasn’t all been good. Getting lost by myself in the streets of Mostar during a football match when the fans are going wild is pretty bad when you write it down, but it instantly becomes amazing when you tell the story to your friends and you all have a great time laughing about it.

Friends you have, of course, met just a week ago. Friends that used to be just photos in Instagram accounts and are now people that you laugh, cry, and dance with. Friends that, maybe, you still don’t quite remember their names, but friends that you would do anything for.

Because sometimes, you don’t have to name things to love them. Because you can be a fan of a band even if you’ve only listened to the first song of one of their albums. Because love at first sight exists.

And, just 188 hours since my arrival in Mostar, I can say with full certainty that I am in love with UWC.