Hey incoming Noles! I’m so excited that I’ve started seeing so many of you commit to this amazing school! Though it’s been a year, it feels like yesterday when I made the best decision of my life to come here.
Once committed to FSU, you’ll have to register for New Nole Orientation. Here, you’ll register for classes. If you’re anything like me, I was super nervous about course registration for my first-ever semester of college. As freshmen, we get the last pick of classes, so it’s hard to find courses you need with space. Despite this, I managed to register for every class that I needed. How? By joining a Freshman Interest Group (FIG)!
WHAT’S A FIG?
A FIG is a premade grouping of high-demand freshman classes linked together by a broad academic theme. FSU reserves around 15 seats for the FIG within larger classes even when the rest of the class is at capacity. FIGs are only offered in fall semesters.
The required English class I took through my FIG was a high-demand class that many people had to take online or in a later semester because the course sections were full at orientation.
You’ll take your FIG classes with that same small group of people within larger classes and have a weekly 1-hour meeting with just your FIG that fills your Engage 100 requirement. During this meeting, you’ll learn how to transition into FSU from FIG leaders. These are upperclassmen who have been in your shoes and can guide you!
FSU has a huge list of FIGs you can register for, with themes for almost every major. Don’t feel limited to FIGs only in your major. You can play it smart and register for a FIG based on the in-demand classes you need.
WORDS FROM A FIG LEADER
Hannah Grinbank, an FSU sophomore and FIG leader, says “creating lesson plans and a course schedule geared toward helping freshmen adjust to college life during their first semester” is her main responsibility. “Our lesson plans are designed to cover things people don’t normally consider when thinking about the high school to college transition.”
Leading a FIG has been a full circle moment for her because she joined one during her freshman year! “I genuinely think it helped me adjust to college life much better than if I hadn’t been in one,” says Grinbank. Many FIG leaders are past FIG students, which speaks to how amazing this program is.
If you’re debating joining a FIG but are undecided on your major, Grinbank says, “Do it! The FIG curriculum teaches you lots of important non-major specific things, and your FIG leader might also be able to offer some valuable insight or resources to help you pick.”
MY FIG EXPERIENCE
I was the only one of my friends who joined a FIG, and they’d always tell me they wished they did too when I mentioned how much I loved mine!
My favorite part of my FIG was that it gave me a mini community for my first semester. It’s intimidating walking into large lectures and not knowing a single person! Within large classes, my FIG gave me friends to sit with and a built-in study group.
I had an amazing experience in a FIG, and I would 100 percent recommend it to any incoming FSU freshman! Join a FIG for access to in-demand classes and a community that will guide you through your first semester at this amazing school. I promise you won’t regret it!
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Pinterest!