With the advent of frosh week upon us, Queen’s gets to welcome thousands of new additions to the Gael community. If you’re new to Queen’s this year—welcome! Over the course of orientation week, you’ll get the chance to connect with your peers and discover all Queen’s has to offer. A word of advice to enjoy not only frosh week, but your first year here? Get excited.
The term “frosh” is most often used to invoke a sense of bonding between orientation leaders and their first-year students. The word, however, doesn’t always encompass such positivity; too often I’ve heard the word thrown around by upper year students in a demeaning, condescending manner, in a way that almost looks at first years with disdain. They’re construed as innocent, naive and unprepared for what’s to come. Their accomplishments and maturity are undermined, and they can often be seen as “lesser than”—all because they don’t have the couple years’ experience here. My question is: when did it become lame to relish in the novelty and excitement of new experiences?
I know so many people in first year who attempted to conceal their first-year status on campus so as not to be dismissed by others as a “silly frosh.” They felt they needed to work to be perceived as worthwhile of other people’s time. Your time here at Queen’s is unique, and will be filled with so many experiences, good and bad. You’re at the starting line of your journey, so come into it with an open mind, an enthusiastic spirit, and don’t give in to the idea that you’re only worthy or valid if you pretend like you’ve done this all before.
Guess what? You only get to experience things for the first time ONCE. Be eager. Be excited. Marvel at the new opportunities that present themselves. Soon enough you’ll know campus like the back of your hand, and nothing will feel like a novelty anymore. While familiarity can be nice, this is the time to enjoy every ounce of this new chapter of your life.
The idea that, to have credibility in life, you need a chip on your shoulder is toxic and, frankly, a little pathetic. To trivialize those who are embarking on such a critical period in their lives only fosters a negative outlook on the rest of their time at university.
So, to all you first-years coming into your university experience with unbridled enthusiasm (albeit nervousness)—hold onto it. Embrace it wholeheartedly. Your excitement only adds to the spirit that makes up Queen’s.