Dear Freshmen,
With the start of the school year, Bucknell’s campus is once again populated with 3,500 students. As a current junior, I am happy to be reunited with old friends and teachers, and excited to spend another semester at school.
Walking around campus, I notice the new freshmen students. I see the familiar look of panic on their faces as they get lost on their way to class. I watch them fumble with their Student IDs, and it is impossible to ignore their tragically noticeable nametag lanyards, which practically shout “freshman.”
In honor of the freshmen struggling this week, and in celebration of the great aspects of starting freshman year, I invite you to join me in reflecting on the first week of freshman year.The Move-In
Moving into your dorm on your very first day of college is an unforgettable milestone. You wipe the sweat from your brow as you lug boxes packed with the contents of your entire life up flights of stairs. You see other kids in the stairwell and wonder, will these strangers become neighbors on your hall? Will they be future friends? You fear the worst—that you won’t fit in with the people you will be forced to live with for the next nine months.
The Roommate
Since the start of the summer you have been Facebook stalking your roommate, so you think you have an idea of their personality. However, when you first meet, you realize the hours you spent scrolling through Instagram did not prepare you to live with a complete stranger. The introduction is inevitably awkward, and you have no choice but to make forced conversation while you hang decorations and silently pray that this girl is not completely insane.
Although you might be worried at first, roommates are not something to worry about. Whether you become close friends with your roommate, or simply learn to coexist, living with a roommate is an experience that will teach you to get along with all types of people and become independent. You could be lucky enough to find the Marshall to your Ted, and decide to live with her for the rest of your life.
The Hall
There is nothing like a freshman hall. You will likely never live with a completely random assortment of people again during college, and I encourage you to soak up the experience. There is something truly wonderful about living with a group of diverse people who have the opportunity to get to know each other together. Going through Orientation can be completely brutal — waking up early and playing rounds of seemingly pointless games in the August heat becomes grueling. But these games are truly a necessary evil, and I can tell you that all of the times I tossed the Question Ball were completely worth it, because they led to meeting some of my best friends, and those games will do the same for all of you.
The Freedom
Being away from home and living without your parents allows you the freedom to do whatever you want. It is liberating to have the ability to come and go to your dorm as you please. You can attend social events and parties and without worrying about making curfew. Of course this freedom comes with responsibility and requires you to make good choices.In Conclusion
Despite the inherent difficulties that come with starting at a new school, being a freshman is a wonderful time of your college education. You will foster lifelong friendships, and start classes that will challenge you. Enjoy every moment of your freshmen year, ladies. Here’s to all of you – I wish you a great year.