A Letter to Incoming Freshmen:
Wow -- time sure flies when you are having fun. Rewind to Aug. 20 when I was moving in to Saint Mary’s for the first time. Timid, and nervous to see what the year would hold. Now I am a week away from being done with my first year, and wow has it been a ride.
Freshmen year taught me so much about who I am as a person. Going into college it is like a clean slate. You can choose who you want to be and no one would know the difference. The one thing I learned looking back on this year, is the best person you can be is yourself. You can try to put on a facade and try to change yourself just to fit into a certain group or mold, but sooner or later it will become too much and you will realize you are not happy.
The people you meet during orientation weekend may be some of your best friends, but if they are not it is OK. You will find your group of friends and it may take all year but it is worth the wait.
Classes are not as scary as they seem, but go to class. It may be because I go to a small school and the Professors know you individually, but in order to succeed and be the best student you can be, going to class is the first step. Skipping class may seem like a good idea in the moment, but when you are drowning and seem like you can’t catch up with work later on, you will know why.
Going to parties is not a mandatory thing. You do not have to go out every Thursday through Saturday to “fit” in or be cool. Most of my Fridays were spent in the library so I had the rest of the weekend to relax. By all means do not be a hermit; that is not a good life either: go out with your friends, enjoy your time, but always put your academics first because you are at school to be a student.
Keep your faith alive, meet other people who you connect with so when times get tough you know you can pray with and lean on them for support.
Have fun. College is meant to be a place of growth and learning and friendship. Go on adventures with your friends to McDonald’s at 1 a.m. to get happy meals because why not. Go on spontaneous road trips because you and your friends will bond so much.
Make lasting friendships. Some friends you meet may come and go during the year, which is OK. God puts people in your life for a reason.
Your roommate is always going to be your one friend that is literally always there. Having random deep conversations until 2 a.m. is just a normal thing to do in college.
Do not try to wake up early to look all put together and put make up on for classes. It will probably only last a week, but that is the perk of an all girls school, you can roll up to class in your pajamas and you won’t be the only one.
Sincerely,
A new and improved incoming Sophomore