BY: Jessica Alldredge
Starting a new experience is daunting. Becoming familiar with a new place and a new routine can be frustrating. Sometimes, it turns out that we look back and say, “I wish I had known that when I went through it the first time.” When it feels like you’re the only person going through this experience, you may not be sure what to do, how to prepare, or who to turn to.
Being a freshman at AUM is no different. Sure, it’s a small school, and it’s not hard to get from one side of the campus to the other. That doesn’t stop some of us from showing up to class an hour early on the first day of class every semester just to make sure that we have the right classroom number in the right building at the right time.
If you’re a freshman at AUM, you’re in for an exciting time. You don’t have to figure it all out right now, and you don’t have to figure it out on your own. There are plenty of resources available that will make your time at AUM easier. If you need mental health help, Counseling and Health Promotion Services has you covered. The Warhawk Academic Success Center, along with the Instructional Support Lab, can provide some awesome resources to help ease you into the college workload.
If you’re not super into asking for help, though, try to make friends in class who you can share experiences with. Sometimes just having a friend nearby is helpful when you feel like you need another half to make a whole brain. Those friends you make in class can lead to semesters-long friendships you can call on when you need a quote for a paper or another point of view on an assignment.
All you have to do is whisper, “Do you get this, or is it just me?” Okay, so it’s not always that easy. But it’s a start.
Katrina Vance, a student in her third year here at AUM, had this to say when asked for advice she would give to freshmen: “The first year can be extremely overwhelming, from trying to navigate the campus to missing deadlines. It’s always best to schedule [some] time during the week for personal space to relax, rest, and destress.”
Vance explained that making time for yourself now means that you won’t have to make time for a burnout later. “Overall, you need to be in the best mindset that you can be in, in order to tackle the first year,” said Vance.
As far as planning out your future education, don’t panic. We don’t have it all figured out yet either. “Take time to find what you love to do! It’s okay not to know right away!” said Molly Gray. Gray graduated from AUM with a degree in communications. During her college career, she made three changes to her major, along with a university transfer. She made it, and you can, too.
When you do figure out what you want to do, take the time to really get into it. Focusing on what you want can provide a clearer path for both you and those advising you. “Make sure you elaborate on career plans and explore what you really want to do,” Kayla Mills, an AUM student in her fourth year, said. There is a lot to be said for being specific about what you want from your education. Make your education work for you, dear AUM student.
Remember that your advisor is usually in your corner and is willing to help you when you need it. Your professors have the ability to explain things if you’re willing to ask for clarification. Usually, several people have the same questions, but they’re waiting for someone else to ask first. It’s okay. You can be that person.
There are a lot of different things that can happen, and not everyone’s experience is going to be the same. You’re going to find out things about yourself and the world whether you attend college or move off into the working world. Either way, you can make the best of it.
Be open and be ready to take on new experiences. But for goodness sake, make sure you show up to class!