I remember my first day at Fairfield — August 31, 2014. I recall Father von Arx at Orientation saying, "The next two days will feel like four years, but the next four years will feel like two days." When you're a freshman at Fairfield and you're off to the townhouses for the first party of the year or off to the beach on a Saturday for a day drink, you stop, look around and can only think, "I can't wait to live here." I remember my brother being a junior and living in a townhouse when I was a freshman and I thought it looked like so much fun and could not wait until the time came for me to have that same experience. Little did I know, freshman and sophomore years would fly by and here I am, living in a townhouse for my junior year. Excuse me, where did the time go when I wore my lanyard with my Stag card and key around my neck and had no idea where my EN11 class was? What the hell is McAuliffe Hall? I thought it was haunted — I mean look at it. Move in day was only 10 days ago and here I am wishing I was a freshman again. I absolutely love living in the townhouses. It's great to be able to knock on your friends door on a Friday night and not be asked, "Who do you know here?" but it also makes me look back on my last two years here at Fairfield. Truthfully, being a junior kind of scares me. I have to start looking into my "adult life" and figuring out where I want to live and where I want to work for the rest of my life. Looking back to Orientation, Father von Arx was right — the past two years flew by in the blink of an eye. I can only imagine how fast time will go by this year and how soon I will be calling myself a senior. As I sit on the porch of my townhouse writing this article and thinking about my years at Fairfield, I want to offer six pieces of advice to the freshmen.
1. Be friendly
Don't be afraid as you're holding the door for someone or swiping someone into your building to strike up a conversation and say hi. There's no harm in making new friends and you won't stop making them until you graduate.
2. Go out
Just because you may not drink, doesn't mean that you can't go out. It's still fun to go out and experience the night life that Fairfield has to offer — whether it be a night in town with friends, a party at the townhouses or beach, or even a movie, go out and meet new people.
3. Stay organized
As a freshman, life can get overwhelming at times, but stay organized and you'll do just fine. Keep a planner or a calendar with due dates and tests. I promise that staying organized will help you perform better academically.
4. Take pictures
The one thing I regret from my years here at Fairfield are not taking enough pictures with my friends. Everyone has a smart phone these days, so whip it out and ask a stranger to take a picture of you and your friends. Pictures make the memories last longer.
5. Get involved
Join a club or a sports team. This will open up a new avenue of friends that you may have something in common with. Being involved is important on your resume too, whether it be club volleyball or the College Republicans club.
6. Exercise
I know that you have all heard of the term "Freshman 15." Well, it's real. Between the eating, drinking and stress, the couple of extra pounds add up. Plus, exercising will help relieve stress and anxiety.
Enjoy your time at Fairfield and never take a minute for granted.
