Campus Chatter

     There are a lot of stereotypes about freshmen: they’re immature, talk too much and have a habit of blocking the entrance to the library. But do these perceptions have any basis in reality?

Chuck May, sophomore, game design

How do you feel about freshmen and what advice would you give them?

When I think of them, I just think freshmen are freshmen. College is easier than you think it would be; you just have to apply yourself properly. I had lots of downtime last year, so I had more time to do homework than I thought I did. I’m not saying abandon all hopes of a social life, but you have more time than you think you do. Get started early; last year I did a lot of homework several hours before it was due and it just didn’t end up right.

Rachel Woronoff, sophomore, communication

What do you think about freshmen? Any advice for them?

They’re cool, I guess. It’s not like freshmen in high school – everyone’s more mature and on the same level. Sometimes you’ll see a kid running up the street and screaming and you’re like, “Oh, that’s a freshman.” [Also], keep up with your assignments. When I was a freshman, I thought I had forever to do reading assignments, but it piles up. Don’t party too hard because it gets in the way of getting your work done.

Vicente Rios, junior, engineering

How do you feel about freshmen and what advice would you give them?

Freshmen are okay; we were all young once. Get involved in clubs, activities, make a lot of friends – be involved in college. My first semester didn’t go well; my second year, I got involved in a ton of clubs [like] dancing [and] made a lot of friends.

Camille Dytan, sophomore, international business

Do you have any thoughts on freshmen? What advice would you give them?

I haven’t really interacted with them because I’ve been taking upper-level courses. I can’t really distinguish them from other grades; they just seem to blend in. I guess you can sometimes tell because they look lost.

Ask anybody; especially here, people are pretty friendly. They’ll be glad to tell you if they took a teacher [or a specific] course. Go into academic advising as soon as you can because they can help you plan your degree.