When you are a freshman, you don't know what to expect. You meet new people, start with a new academic slate, have unchartered independence and, for many of us, need to make critical decisions for the first time. Being a freshman is exciting and splendid, but at the same time, overwhelming and unknown. I loved freshman year because it was a fresh experience with new friends and a different environment. But, what about when you are not a freshman anymore? It’s crazy to think that freshman will be asking me questions and looking up to me. Are you feeling a bit of a sophomore slump because we aren’t the newbies anymore?
Here are 10 signs that you aren’t a freshman anymore:
1. You don’t go to campus center anymore.
As a freshman, I had no idea that campus center did not have very good dining hall food. Terrace dining hall was always the best option even though it felt like a trek into the abyss. However, I have been hearing that campus center is actually better than terraces lately. Funny how things work out, I guess. I mean, I wouldn't want insects in my meals either.
2. You can tell who the freshmen are.
You were once in their shoes, so you know what to look for. They just look younger. They may be wearing the lanyard around their neck, but that usually dies off by the second week of school. After all, they did warn them at orientation that if they lost their ID card or room key that there would be a fee. They may sit in the front row at ICTV Recruitment Night. They may arrive to class 30 minutes early. You know who they are, and we all did the same thing once .
3. You don’t get special treatment anymore
Freshmen get a lot of special treatment and perks. This year even some Terraces were reserved for them to live in. I get it if we didn’t have enough room in the other dorms, but they got the most convenient Terraces, not the ones out in the boonies. The school wants the freshmen to feel right at home and adjust with ease; therefore, they adjust with much comfort. You know you are a not a freshman when you don’t get special treatment. No one says “Ahh, you're a sophomore.” But, they may say, “Ahh, you're a freshman. How adorable.” At least we got a Sophomore Launch to celebrate our freshman accomplishments.
4. You get a jump start on things after you move in.
Since you have been at the school for a year or two, you can jump right back into things. When I got back to school this year, it felt like I had never left. Things picked up exactly where I left off. Although, I am physically in a different room (an apartment, not a miniscule dorm room) with a different roommate, everything else just fell right into place. I started crew and my other extracurricular activities right away. In addition, there was no time spent having to find “my people,” as I already have happily found them.
5. You don’t walk to Troy Street.
A lot of parties happen on Troy Street. When you are a freshman, it may seem reasonable to walk there and/or back. However, it isn’t. It takes forever, or at least it feels like an eternity. After all, it is approximately 2.8 miles away and will take you about an hour. Not fun!
6. You get sick of house parties
House parties are always the same. Same music, same drinking games, same freshmen drinking too much — same, same, same. Therefore, upperclassmen tend to go to the bars, if they are 21, of course. Moonies and 2 Floor are the local Ithaca hot spots.
7. You take sleep very seriously.
I go to bed very early sometimes. After all, college can be exhausting. You may not realize this as a freshman, but when you get older, you do not take your sleep for granted. Since I have to get up at 4:30 a.m. for crew sometimes, I find myself going to bed at 9:30. I know that is earlier than some 9-year-olds' bedtimes, but I don’t care as I love to get a good night's sleep. I have not taken as many naps in my life as I do now that I am in college. Yes, I know I am not in preschool anymore, but naps are really a necessity. After all, a one-hour nap is said to reset your short-term memory and helps you learn facts more easily after you wake up.
8. You don’t raise your hand to go to the bathroom.
This is college; you no longer have to ask permission to go to the bathroom. Gone are the days of asking for permission and answering if it was an emergency or not. Looking into the future, I guess it would be awkward to have to ask my future employer if I can use the bathroom. We are free to pee.
9. You actually know where you are going and what you want to do.
Don’t worry freshman, we have all been there. We too have had to keep a campus map with us to make sure we didn’t get lost. I remember hearing many stories last year of people being in the wrong class at the wrong time. You also have a better idea of what you want to do with your life and the ways to go about achieving it. As second, third and fourth year students, we become more involved in activities relating to our major.
10. You have found the best people you will ever meet.
I can honestly say that I have met the best people here at Ithaca. These people will be my friends forever. I have an extended family in my crew teammates, and my classmates are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. By sophomore year, you realize that these people are your real friends, and you finally have found “your people” at this point. It is a great feeling to know that you have such amazing people by your side throughout your years of college and that they will be your most cherished friends for the rest of your life.
Being a freshman was amazing, but not being a freshman is equally amazing! There is something really comforting in not being the “baby” of the college and being an established sophomore, junior or senior. The worst of this is we longer have four years left at IC. Three years, two years, graduating. If you have started to recognize these signs, then you are probably no longer a freshman.
