2008 Woodie Awards
Senior offers advice to incoming freshmen
Lauren Sutton, Copy Editor
Issue date: 8/27/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
In my house, 'senior' is a dirty word and its use is most often avoided. With one year left at ACU, I have found that my nostalgia toward past college experiences is as prevalent as my hope for the coming year and beyond. Each activity that takes place and every relationship that is formed in the next nine months will be counteracted with the reality that my time in college is nearing its end as the consistency of all things ACU fades.
Perhaps the best antidote for the occasional bouts of this-is-my-last-year-as-a-student melancholy is to observe the quarter of ACU's student population who have recently embarked on their college career.
As grateful as I am to have successfully made it through my first year of college, I'm glad I never have to be a freshman again. Orienting yourself in an unfamiliar environment, living with a potential stranger in a cramped space and being forced to eat unidentifiable foods in the Bean are never easy tasks to be confronted with. So as a senior looking to vicariously relive her college experience through the individuals who have just begun theirs, I hope you will take to heart several aspects of freshman life I would improve upon if I were once again in your shoes.
n Take advantage of free food. New students, you will soon find out how many people in this community are willing to feed you free of charge. Local churches and student organizations often provide free meals to students who simply show up to their events. If you are smart, you will not turn down this opportunity. By looking for venues offering free food, you can save money, enjoy an alternative to the Bean, meet new people and possibly find an activity or student group you are interested in being a part of.
*Pay special attention to the attendance policies for your 8 a.m. classes.
Professors include attendance policies in their syllabi to give students a fair amount of flexibility in regards to missing class. I am in no way advocating for carelessly or continuously skipping class, but if you can miss three class sessions without it affecting your grade, make sure you exert your ability to enjoy those extra hours of sleep guilt free.
*Don't be too anxious to go home.
Don't develop a pattern of leaving town every weekend, especially during your first several weeks of school. Fight your compulsion to retreat to the familiarity and comfort of home and choose instead to acclimate yourself to life in Abilene. Catching a movie at the Paramount, seeing a show at Monks, getting coffee at Tuscany's or organizing a game of cops and robbers on campus are all great alternatives to leaving town.
*Try your hand at a lot of new things.
This is the time in life to explore new interests and be involved in new activities. Who cares if you have no background in synchronized swimming; give it a try. The university caters to new students, and it's better to put yourself out there a little than to sit in your dorm room with nothing to do. Pursuing opportunities to be involved on campus is a great way to take part in ACU life. Don't miss out.
E-mail Sutton at:
les03c@acu.edu, optimist@acu.edu
Perhaps the best antidote for the occasional bouts of this-is-my-last-year-as-a-student melancholy is to observe the quarter of ACU's student population who have recently embarked on their college career.
As grateful as I am to have successfully made it through my first year of college, I'm glad I never have to be a freshman again. Orienting yourself in an unfamiliar environment, living with a potential stranger in a cramped space and being forced to eat unidentifiable foods in the Bean are never easy tasks to be confronted with. So as a senior looking to vicariously relive her college experience through the individuals who have just begun theirs, I hope you will take to heart several aspects of freshman life I would improve upon if I were once again in your shoes.
n Take advantage of free food. New students, you will soon find out how many people in this community are willing to feed you free of charge. Local churches and student organizations often provide free meals to students who simply show up to their events. If you are smart, you will not turn down this opportunity. By looking for venues offering free food, you can save money, enjoy an alternative to the Bean, meet new people and possibly find an activity or student group you are interested in being a part of.
*Pay special attention to the attendance policies for your 8 a.m. classes.
Professors include attendance policies in their syllabi to give students a fair amount of flexibility in regards to missing class. I am in no way advocating for carelessly or continuously skipping class, but if you can miss three class sessions without it affecting your grade, make sure you exert your ability to enjoy those extra hours of sleep guilt free.
*Don't be too anxious to go home.
Don't develop a pattern of leaving town every weekend, especially during your first several weeks of school. Fight your compulsion to retreat to the familiarity and comfort of home and choose instead to acclimate yourself to life in Abilene. Catching a movie at the Paramount, seeing a show at Monks, getting coffee at Tuscany's or organizing a game of cops and robbers on campus are all great alternatives to leaving town.
*Try your hand at a lot of new things.
This is the time in life to explore new interests and be involved in new activities. Who cares if you have no background in synchronized swimming; give it a try. The university caters to new students, and it's better to put yourself out there a little than to sit in your dorm room with nothing to do. Pursuing opportunities to be involved on campus is a great way to take part in ACU life. Don't miss out.
E-mail Sutton at:
les03c@acu.edu, optimist@acu.edu
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