The transition into college is different than many anticipate, and it always happens faster than you had thought possible. You are constantly meeting new people when coming to a new place and some people have no idea of how much their life is about to change. Freshman year is a time where you are truly going to grow and learn about yourself, your new school, and the new friends you are about to make. Here are some tips from former Catawba College freshman who were in the exact spot you are now and the things they learned from their first year here.
1. “You don’t need to bring everything you own to school with you”–Jillian Kurlovech. The current sophomore understands that you feel like you want to make sure you don’t forget ANYTHING at home. Coming from Michigan, she didn’t have the opportunity to just bring things home if it didn’t fit in her dorm. Therefore, she suggests really thinking about what is necessary because you don’t need everything that you believe you need.
2. Jamie Williams said that there are a lot of things that instantly came to mind, but he believes the most important one is knowing where your classes are and to know where all the buildings on campus are. Catawba doesn’t have a huge campus, but it’s still easy to get lost and the quicker you learn the building names and locations, the better off you will be.
3. Grace Brennan explained that she wished she learned that the people you hang out with the first week, or at the freshman retreat, aren’t always going to be the people you hang out with for the rest of the semester. The people from first semester won’t necessarily be the people you hang out with second semester either. Brennan says that this is because everybody is still trying to figure out themselves and learning how to adapt to college during this time.
4. “8 AM’s are awful, but it’s nice to get your classes over with early, especially if you’re an athlete.” These are words of advice from sophomore lacrosse player Michaela Gerard. She enjoyed having the rest of her day to relax before practice and she used that time to work on homework and catch up on her Netflix shows.
5. Angel Paez came to Catawba for our well-known music program. The current music major explained how he wished that he would have known how different it would be living with a stranger. “Adjusting to dorm life isn’t easy, you’re living with a person you more than likely just met and you have to adjust to their tendencies just as much as they have to adjust to yours.”
6. Gianna Pezzulo came to Catawba from New Hampshire and her advice for incoming freshman is TO GO TO CLASS!!! “Although it’s easy to skip classes, and seems like a good idea at the time, at the end of the semester, it will catch up on you and you will regret it.”
7. “Professors won’t hate you or get annoyed if you go see them during their office hours, and if you’re struggling, tell them sooner than later.” Wise words from Maurice Jones. Here at Catawba, the teachers know who you are and care about you. They have office hours for a reason, they are here to help you succeed. Also, don’t be afraid to take advantage of our Supplemental Instruction (SI) or private tutors that are FREE for everyone on campus.
8. Brooke Applebaum explained that she believes if she would’ve gone to more Wigwam productions, she would’ve had more fun. Wigwam is a club of students that sponsor free events on most friday evenings. They host everything from spa nights, and magic shows, to movie nights, and laser tag, in addition to many other great things!
9. “You appreciate your family, friends, and home life so much more when you’re able to go home.” explained Katie Barth who is from Maryland. Her drive to get back home is roughly 7.5 hours and she says that you will no longer take your bed, your family, and home cooked meals for granted. You will savor these memories, but you will have to come back to school. That feeling is what makes the long weekends and breaks so much better.
10. Nicole Hunt described herself having the “freshman slump” and getting behind on her work. College is not like high school, your teachers don’t come looking for you to turn in your work! When you get behind, it’s an uphill battle to get back onto level ground.
One more tip from this writer to you: go to class, study, and remember you’re at college to get an education, and everything else comes second. The atmosphere in college is different from your high school days and it takes a while to adjust to the workloads and the fact that you actually have to study in order to get good grades! To everyone starting college this fall at Catawba, enjoy it and make the most of every minute! It all flies by so quickly that it’s difficult to really think that in four short years, you will be graduating. You will make some of the most amazing memories during your time here that you will never forget. Good luck!
