Howdy, and welcome to Texas A&M, Class of 2019! School is back in session, and for some students, it’s the beginning of a new chapter. The freshmen class at Texas A&M is big and full of students who are both excited and a little nervous about what to expect over the next four years. I talked with some of these students and asked them how their first week of school went.Â
“Before I moved to College Station, I had a pretty set idea on how my freshman year would start off. I’d make tons of friends, join all of these different organizations and basically have the time of my life. I am outgoing person and it’s not hard for me to meet people, well that’s what I had thought. Coming from a small city and dominantly African American high school, the transition soon proved to be harder than I had expected. I became home sick which is something that I never thought of. I felt so small as if I didn’t matter, and like I was so unnoticed so I did not take advantage of Gig ‘Em Week to make new friends. I made it to the first day of school though! Being in Mays Business School means that my schedule will automatically be busy from the extra courses that I have to take. Which in turn began to add to my stress level. I started to doubt whether Texas A&M was really the right choice for me. With the help and support of ExCEL and FBI, I am feeling so much more confident and remembered why I chose to be an Aggie in the first place. With all of that being said, my first week of school has shown me that college is nothing like high school but I have friends now who support me and will guide me down the right path. I can’t wait to see what else the year has in store for me.” – Destiny Burton, 2019
“Now that I’m officially a member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2019 AAAAAAAAAAA!, I’d like to say A&M is nothing like I had expected. Through Gig ‘Em Week there was a boost of encouragement about the first week of classes coming from every which way. Even with all the adivce, nothing can prepare you for that first lecture. I myself was lucky not to get caught with a 8:00 am class, but I did get a 9:10 am. I was up and ready to go like the typical freshman not knowing what I’m stepping into, just stepping with my best foot forward. My class was way closer that what I thought so I showed up thirty minutes early. This was a highlight because not once did I make it to school on time in high school. The biggest thing though was coming from a school with a graduating class of 208 students to a single class with 250 people in it. That’s just so overwhelming. I’m sitting in a class with so many different personalities and there is the possibility that I won’t even properly meet my all of my classmates. Compared to what I thought the first week of classes would be like; stressful, tiring, and scary, it was the complete opposite. My first week was exciting. It was filled with hard work, and left me with a thirst for more. I’m really eager to finish off my first year and more at the prestigious Texas A&M University.” – Carlton Joshua, 2019
“Going into my first week of classes at A&M, I was expecting huge lecture halls filled with quiet students and hours of homework. When I walked into my first class and witnessed the smaller size of the class, I was shocked and hopeful for a good semester. As the week went on, my previous thoughts were becoming true and my other classes continued to grow and the giant lecture halls became a reality. It was very intimidating. Luckily, my homework level was to my surprise very low my first week, and I spent my boredom catching up on some Netflix. All in all, my first week was eye opening and inviting. It showed me a glimpse of what was to come and made me excited for my next four years at A&M.” – Hannah Reynolds, 2019
“Texas A&M University was actually everything that I expected. As a freshman, I projected getting lost a few times, being overwhelmed with my schedule, making new friends, and being tempted by social activites. However, what I did not expect was my level of focus. Obviously I assumed that I would be focused to a certain degree, but it took absolutely no time to automatically adapt to the amount of studying and effort put forth toward the things that matter. In short, I am glad that I did not scare myself into unnecessary fear because I worked hard to get here; this is where I want to be. Nothing feels forced!” – Jo’el Barnes, 2019