BY MACAYLA COOK
Staff Reporter
This year’s record-breakingly large class of freshmen have faced difficulties unlike other previous classes in their transition from high school to college. Having lost their junior year of high school to a global pandemic, many of their opportunities for college touring, research and preparation went out the window. Members of the university’s Class of 2026 discuss how they’re learning as they go.
“One thing that I really wish I learned before I moved here was probably how to study properly,” freshman Muhammad Sheraz said. “Because, like, coming from high school, I didn’t really study much, I kind of just went with the flow, and in college I really can’t do that.”
That sentiment seems to be widespread among freshmen: Many feel that their study skills took a serious hit during the pandemic, leading to difficulties coping with the academic aspect of college.
“I wish I had known to sort of focus when you have free time in between classes, to do work during that free time,” freshman Sam MacDonald said. “Instead of just thinking, ‘Oh wow, I only have two hours of classes a day, this is going to be so nice,’ to focus on doing that work and getting it done earlier.”
However, some students find there are positive aspects to their new academic arena. MacDonald admits to finding college far less academically intimidating than he had anticipated.
“It’s far more stuff that I like doing instead of just getting work done to get work done because I have to do it, I’m motivated to get the work done,” MacDonald said.
Academics are not the only different aspect of life for freshmen. The social environment of college life presents new situations for some students as well.
“I wish I knew how packed and how many people it was going to be, I didn’t realize,” Nicole Makai said of move-in day. “So many parents, so many people, so many boxes everywhere. It was so stressful … like, I expected it to be stressful, but I didn’t expect it to be that stressful.”
Even after moving in, freshmen have to adapt to a brand new environment where they are being perceived on an almost constant basis. Alas, communal bathrooms, shared bedrooms and many an awkward wave across a hallway await new college students. This constantly social environment can be exhausting for more introverted students, but also deeply thrilling from a social perspective. Combined with the fact that there are dozens of opportunities to party weekly, newcomers have many new sources of excitement.
“The partying aspect in movies was always sort of not bad, but it always seemed bad,” MacDonald said. “Here, it’s not, it’s quite fun. […] It’s much nicer than it looks in movies.”
While students may find the transition to college overwhelming, many freshmen are adapting.
“The transition from high school to college was a little stressful, but I got used to it.” Makai said.
That Assansis is full of crap…