Meredith College recently welcomed the Class of 2025 to campus. As these new students transition to college life, The Herald highlights advice that some upperclassmen students have for first-year students. The Herald reached out to Sarah Jennings, ‘22, Abigail Inman, ‘23, Sarah Page, ‘23, and Brooklynn Watkins, ‘23 to learn what advice they would share with new college students.
When asked about the tips she learned as a freshman, Jennings commented, “One thing that I learned was to work on studying and getting work done for one class or assignment at a time. That way, you can work on it for as long as you stay interested, and you can switch [your] focus to another assignment or subject when you get burned out [or] stuck.” Inman also said it is best to take things “one day at a time.”
When asked what she wished she had known as a freshman, Page said, “It’s okay to ask for help or advice...it is totally possible to overcommit to stuff, and there is no shame in taking a step back and reassessing how much you can manage at a given time.” Inman wished she had known earlier how “helpful and friendly” professors are. Watkins said, “I wish I had learned earlier how great and helpful the Learning Center is...I encourage everyone to take advantage of the learning center; it really made a difference in my transition into college-level classes.”
Jennings adjusted to campus life pretty quickly. She said, “It took until the end of my first week [to get used to living in a residence hall]. Once you know where all your stuff goes and how the laundry system works, you are already 70% there, my friend.” Page said it took her a few weeks to get used to living on campus.
If students are having trouble adjusting to college life, Inman suggested telling others, “because they are most likely experiencing the same thing.” Page said that “staying on campus on the weekends and making plans with Meredith friends helped [her] put down roots on campus.” “Finding a balance between going home and staying on the weekends [is] something that is so important as a freshman,” stated Watkins.
"Putting in that effort to introduce myself and make friends with my classmates [helped me thrive on campus]. It's also always good to join some clubs on campus,” said Jennings. Inman agreed that joining organizations and connecting with classmates are ways to thrive on campus in addition to making time to call home.
For concluding statements, Watkins said, “My advice for all freshmen is to never doubt your academic capabilities. Keep studying...and it will make you a much stronger student and give you even more drive to succeed.” Jennings stated, “At the end of the day, even the worst class is only for one semester. One of the pluses about college is that things go by fast, so be sure to engage with the material you study and the people around you to get the most out of your years here.”
By Kaitlyn Eisbacher, Contributing Writer