Growing up, I was told that your first year of college would be the most exciting year of your life. New friends, independent living and finally getting the chance to study a field you’re genuinely interested in, are aspects of a first-year’s college experience that are frequently exclaimed about. However, my first semester experience quickly provided a generous reality check that no one prepared me for.
Honestly, it wasn’t until after five months of living at Butler that I felt comfortable and happy. This makes no sense because I am naturally a very independent person, so you’d think college would be my paradise.
Eventually, college became my paradise and it still is to this day. Truthfully, the thought of leaving this place in a few weeks for summer break saddens me. Still, it took so much uncomfortable growing and change in order for me to make this my new home.
Every first-year that heads home for summer break will go having learned a life lesson of some kind. Whether it’s about friends, relationships, school, religion, the economy, government or yourself in general, every one of us has taken away a new lesson from our beginning two semesters at Butler.
Maggie Dempsey, a first-year elementary education and English double major, shared some advice she would give to incoming first-years.
“Make sure that you have time for the things that really matter to you,” Dempsey said. “Even if that means taking a couple less classes. Time management is just a really big thing [to get good at].”
Because Butler offers an array of interesting and diverse courses, it is challenging figuring out what may or may not be worth it. If a course looks like it will be overwhelming the first few times you go to class, you can drop it within the first two weeks — because you will have many more semesters to take it once you get in the swing of things. College, as I have learned, is all about balance.
Just because you’re taking 15 credits per semester, does not mean that you can’t go out to dinner with your friends on a school night. Prioritizing time management and being responsible for yourself and your education will allow you to still participate in those social activities.
Alexandria Berry, a sophomore history and English literature double major, noted the takeaways from her first year and how they still play a major role in her life.
“You have to set boundaries for yourself [and] for the new people that are coming into your life,” Berry said. “[For example] the roommate situations are a big one, you have to set personal boundaries for yourself. So, you just have to step out of your comfort zone and learn new boundaries.”
We will have so many people coming and going from our lives during our time at Butler. Therefore, creating interpersonal boundaries for ourselves and our lives is imperative. Meeting new people is fun and exciting, however students should learn to prioritize overall personal well-being over attending every social event.
Remember that college is a time for creating life-long friendships, connections and bonds with our professors and peers. However, it is also a time of transformation, evolution and change. The friends we make during our first year might not necessarily be close to us two years from now. That is okay, though. Preparing your mind and heart for that possibility is a great boundary to put in place as you meet your new peers.
Shyanna Itza, a first-year finance and marketing double major, described some of the anticipated expectations she had of campus culture.
“Socially, it got better than I expected it to be, because I thought I was gonna know nobody,” Itza said. “But obviously, that didn’t happen; I made a few new friends … Academically, I really thought I was gonna struggle. But, I found out it wasn’t honestly that bad once you got your schedule in the way you like it.”
Arriving in a completely new environment and not knowing anyone … can be terrifying. It can even hinder your first-year orientation experience. However, for the rising first-years, remember that is very normal and that the majority of first-years feel that exact same way.
Another blissful feature of college is having the freedom to make your own schedule. If you’re a morning person, you’ll be able to pick all those early classes. If you’re not a morning person, there are tons of afternoon and evening classes offered.
Getting to pick your own schedule out really does make studying and homework easier, because you’re able to mold your classes around when you like to study.
As my first year comes to a close, I am naturally starting to look back and compare who I was when I first arrived, versus who I have become as I move out for summer break.
Your first year is by far the most transformative year due to the amount of progress and change from high school to college. Between taking new college-level classes, participating in extracurricular activities and maintaining a social life, college is 24/7. However, these takeaways will help you along your journey and will be worth the challenging growth and change.