A letter to the FSU class of 2024:
First off, congratulations on being admitted to Florida State University in one of our most competitive and impressive classes yet. Your admission to this incredible university is something that you should be very proud of. With the current status of our world, and more specifically our country, I am sure that the uncertainty of it all poses great difficulty in selecting the best path for your next 4 years. As a student that struggled to make a college decision, I wanted to write this letter to offer my perspective in an attempt to put your minds at ease.
With all of the uncertainty present in this time, here are a few things I know to be true:
Florida State University is invested in the success of its students, both in and out of the class room.
From the very first moment that I stepped foot onto our beautiful campus, this rang true. This university is truly invested in each one of its students and their success and growth as a student, professional, and human. FSU has made me feel as though I am an individual that they have a particular interest in, not just number 3,589 in a class of over 6,000 students. The opportunities for support and success are endless. Be it through connections built with professors in classes, opportunities for involvement in organizations that you are truly passionate about, or employment in a job in which I have a platform to share my love of FSU with potential students and family members, this campus community pours into its students, faculty, and staff alike every single day.
You can take a big school and make it feel small, but you will never be able to take a small school and make it feel big.
I truthfully believe that this was one of the most valuable pieces of advice that I received in my college decision process. For some, the thought of attending a university with a student body of over 42,000 is extremely intimidating and overwhelming. While 42,000 is a massive number, with it comes countless opportunities for involvement in one of our many registered student organizations, (over 700 to be exact) the chance to explore your wide variety of interests, including one's that you did not know you had, the possibility to interact with a diverse population of students and faculty from all walks of life, and ultimately a chance to find yourself and become the very best version of you.
This place will become your home if you let it.
Change is scary. Starting over in a new place is scary. Walking into a dining hall with hundreds of people that you do not know is scary. This was the last piece of advice that my orientation leader left us with, and is something that will forever be engrained in my mind. So for now, I hope to pass on these words to you as you navigate the correct direction for your next 4 years as a college student. The sooner you are able to let your guard down and embrace all of the opportunities in front of you, the sooner you may feel this new sense of home. Be bold. The truth of the matter is, all 6,000+ new students that choose to attend FSU are feeling so many of the same emotions: excitement, fear, anxiety, hope. Take in every new opportunity you can to find yourself, find your people, and ultimately find your home. Sit next to someone completely random in the dining hall. Attempt to meet every single person on your floor in your residence hall. Attend a home football game. You will only pass this way once, so make the most of it. Finally, don't be afraid to ask for help. As a stubborn and independent individual, this is something that I struggle with every day. Florida State has so many opportunities for support from college life coaching, advising, counseling services, the career center, and everything in between. Above all else, FSU wants to see its students succeed in all aspects of life.
While I may be a bit biased, I am confident that Florida State University is the most incredible and beautiful place on this earth. Selfishly, I hope you chose to attend Florida State, but wish you nothing but the best in wherever your journey takes you. And as always, Go Noles!
Meghan
Florida State University Class of 2021