Hey, collegiettes! Let’s take a second to appreciate your new titles – you’re now college students! At Bryant, this means you’re part of the very large (923 students!) class of 2019 and this is a very exciting time in your life. Between new classes, new friends, and a new environment, it can be quite overwhelming. We at HC Bryant have gone through the same struggles and we’ve gathered some advice on how to survive this next year.
1. Take care of yourselves – we hate to admit it, but the freshman fifteen is real. At Bryant, we’re fortunate enough to have an incredible gym at our disposal. While Salmo isn’t the best, there are still ways to eat healthy! Food isn’t the only issue. Without your parents to reprimand you, sometimes you’ll neglect sleep. Sometimes you’ll take too many naps. The most important thing is to find a happy medium and stay healthy. You know what’s best for your body, and when all else fails, remember to utilize Health Services located in Hall 16!
2. Gateways will be over before you know it – We know all the group work at Bryant can be a pain, but one of the best things Bryant faculty does is prepare us for our “real world” jobs. Many Bryant alumni find Bryant’s group-centric curriculum extremely useful in their day-to-day operations.
P. S. If you think GFOB/GFCL has too much group work, just wait for IDEA! Bryant’s Ideation and Design Experience for All will test you, but it’s an extremely rewarding experience as well.
3. Make the most of your classes – Bryant has small class sizes, which allows to really get to know our classmates and professors. Take advantage this setup! Participate in class, become friends with your classmates, and go to office hours. It’s possible that you’ll have the same professor for multiple classes and you’ll most likely have some of the same people in your classes over the next four years. This is especially true for students in programs like International Business and Actuarial Mathematics – you’ll probably have class with the very same people for most of your Bryant career. It’s important to learn not only from your professors, but from your peers too.
4. Make friends because you actually like people, not just because you’re lonely. While Bryant’s small size is advantageous in a classroom setting, it can seem daunting to think about spending four years with the same people. Cliques naturally form along students very quickly, but don’t feel pressured to join a group of people just because you’re afraid you won’t be able to make friends otherwise. Our campus is small, but there are new people to meet almost every single day. Don’t worry if you feel like you haven’t found your niche yet; with a student body as diverse as Bryant’s, your lifelong friends could be just down the hall or living on the opposite side of campus. Become friends with people you can trust, those who make you a better version of yourself. College is a time to figure out who you truly are, and you want the right people by your side when you’re doing so.
5. Focus on your academics – It’s why you’re here. Yes, college is super fun, but ultimately, we’re all here to learn and become successful in our future professions. Take classes that interest you. Freshman year can be difficult because gen eds are often boring, but if you work hard then you will be rewarded. When you find your passion, there’s nothing like the feeling of pursuing what you want to do for the rest of your life. Work hard on all your assignments, study when necessary, and take breaks! Use ACE and the Writing Center if you need as well. You’ll hear it time and time again, but these campus resources will definitely help you in the long run. If you’re not comfortable seeking help from the university yet, ask your friends. Do what you need to do to ensure that you’re optimizing your academic career.
Collegiettes, you’re about to embark on one of the most incredible journeys of your life. Your time in college will potentially affect the course of your life, and we’re here to help you figure it out. Experience is the best teacher, so take the days as they come and never say no to opportunities. As they say, there’s no time like the four years you spend in college, so make the most of it. You’ll be walking through that Archway before you even realize how far you’ve gotten. Congratulations, Class of 2019. Welcome to some of the best years of you life!
Sincerely,
HC Bryant
All images courtesy of Bryant University