First Year, First Impressions

A Newbies Take on College Life

Starting college is a huge change in routine: a change involving adaptation to a completely new atmosphere. If you’re anything like me, the weeks leading up to Marist College move-in day were filled with excitement, nervousness and complete chaos. The idea of leaving home was nerve-racking and seemed rather abrupt: how was I supposed to leave my friends? My first three weeks of college have been a little unsettling, but so many resources have helped me make it through. As this new chapter of my life takes course and I begin to immerse myself with the college lifestyle, I feel ready for this change.

For most college students, the scariest part of leaving home is living with people you’ve just met. I was one of those students. Although my roommate and suitemates started as strangers to me, they have transformed into people I can share lunch, laughs and even toothpaste with.

I found it difficult to be bored at Marist during the first week. “Welcome Week” offered so many activities to branch out with the fellow freshman on campus and create friendships that will (hopefully) last throughout my time here and beyond. Just by attending the pizza and wings tasting, ice cream social and firework dance party, I met so many people with different interests. The club fair was a cool way of learning about what Marist has to offer outside of the classroom. 

The moment I started seeing recognizable faces across campus I knew I was becoming comfortable here.

Every freshman’s worst nightmare includes something along the lines of getting trampled by the older students, and the familiar feeling of being at the bottom of the totem pole: as if we were starting high school all over again. When I learned that not all of the upperclassmen wanted to rip my head off, I felt a sigh of relief and honest surprise. 

As I roamed the campus with my weary smile and brand-new white sneakers, the fact that I was a lost freshman on the first day of classes must have been transparent. I felt the anxiety eating away at me as I was almost late to my first 8 a.m. class. In all efforts to dismiss my shaky voice and trembling hands, I approached a girl who seemed to know the campus well. To my relief she knew the building I was looking for. Turns out it was right in front of me.

Through the ups and downs of my transition to college, I’m starting to see a very clear path to my future at Marist. In just three weeks of being here I’ve been presented with so many resources to help guide me. Marist being a world of endless opportunity becomes more evident every day.