Stepping foot into university, no freshman can ever know what they are truly in for. For many, the first few days of their college experience is an electrifyingly dramatic change — a new city, new friends and new home — far from the bounds of their hometown. It’s finally the time to break out of the old shell and gain the independence necessary to pursue the big dreams.
Nothing, however, prepares first-years for the potential feelings of alienation, the lack of direction or the difficulty adjusting to the demands of a rigorous course schedule in college — what was once advertised as the happiest and most formative years of our lives. Students walk in with many different expectations in terms of social connections, academics and city life and many misconceptions can ride along as well.
Hannah Lehrfeld, a senior at the W.A. Franke Honors College and current Partnerships Through Honors student coordinator, has served the honors freshmen community at the University of Arizona through her contributions to the PATH program in the past 3 years as both a mentee and mentor. She recounts her own experience as a freshman after 2 years of online schooling due to COVID-19.
“Sometimes you might underestimate the willingness of people to meet each other,” Lehrfeld said. “Every single year, everyone that I meet in classes and clubs are so happy to talk to me, to offer resources, to make connections and I was not necessarily expecting everyone to be so welcoming and open.”
Lehrfeld debunks the common belief that it’s nearly impossible to form strong social bonds beyond orientation and the pressure among many incoming freshmen to make friends immediately within the first couple days. Additionally, she discusses her greatest lesson from that year.
“I’m one of those people that wants to do everything, but you don’t have to stick to every single club or activity that you tried freshman year,” Lehrfeld said. “Get out there and try the activities that seem interesting, but know that there’s no need to commit to all of them so pick what’s relevant to you.”
While it is a great choice to engage in all the activities that align with our personal goals and pique our interests, this should not come at the cost of our overall health or wellbeing. Making time for proper self-care, good sleep and maintaining a consistent schedule not only manifests in our physical wellness but also shows up in our productivity levels and the energy that we bring to our daily tasks.
In her final year, Ashni Shah is majoring in psychology and minoring in business administration. As the executive director of Bear Down Camp, Shah is responsible for developing the camp schedule and maintaining the high spirits of this integrative event for all participating freshmen and transfer students.
“People go to classes and then they leave immediately after. There’s no real time to talk to people, so it can be hard,” Shah said. “That’s what’s so amazing about camp […]. It helps combat that sense of loneliness since you start off your college experience already knowing a group of people before classes even start.”
Without a proper chance to acclimate to campus, navigating the college environment can prove to be incredibly challenging, but that’s also why many new Wildcats opt to be a Bear Down Camper the week prior to fall classes.
It can be a slow process to get accustomed to the pace of a new environment, but with time, students will bear the fruit of their efforts. Taking advantage of many of the resources available like Think Tank and regularly meeting with advisors can help students better prepare for the semesters ahead and save some stress.
Through her involvement in the Honors Service Club and as the current president of the Health and Human Values Minor Club, Emma Romano has strengthened her ties with the local Tucson community and transformed her perspective on the dynamic that lies between a student and their university. As a PATH student coordinator, she gets the chance to contribute to the planning of the Franke Fling in the spring again alongside her leadership team to keep her fellow honors community members connected.
According to Romano, a defining value of the college experience is branching out and taking the opportunity to form one’s own community.
Whether it’s through a book club, music group or service organization, every student has the ability to cultivate an environment in their college that suits their unique aims and personal desires. Creating a new foundation and laying down that support system through extracurricular engagement can help one find the route to success and flourish in their social and academic life.
“When you find something that’s super compatible with your values and what you want to do in life, it really just enriches your entire education and you get to meet a lot of people that […] have the same paths,” Romano said.
