As my first year at ECU comes to a close, I was looking back at where I was last year. I decided around March that I was going to go to ECU, but I wasn’t 100% sure that it was my home. I was worried, just like every rising college freshman, that I had made the wrong choice and would be miserable for a year before I could transfer. I am happy to say that I absolutely made the right choice and know that I would not be nearly as happy as I am at any other school.
So, just to help ease some minds about if ECU is the right fit for them, here are some little things the tour guides might not tell you that have made this year one of my best so far.
Staff are always so willing to help
Never in my life have I felt so respected and wanted by the staff that I have worked with. Whether it was professors, tutors, advisors, or people I worked with through organizations and clubs, I always felt like my opinions were respected and they never talked down to me. I recently went through the initial process of starting a club, and the staff at the SAO are so incredibly helpful. They are always clear with all guidelines that I need to follow and are were so great in making sure my dream of my club became a reality. My professors and tutors always answer any question I have so that it makes sense to ME, not just to them. If the way they understand it doesn’t work for me, they will explain it again and again until I get it.
Students are so willing to help you if you are lost
I was so scared to ask where to go during my first couple weeks when I was still trying to find my way around campus. I walked around looking for my theatre class for 30 minutes (yea, I’m that person that gets there hella early for no reason) until I finally got the nerve to ask someone where the heck Messick was, and they pointed it out and even walked a little bit out of their way to help me find it! Ever since then, every time I have asked a random person on the bus where something was, they have always been super helpful. I’ve even found myself listening to people touring be confused as to where to go and immediately feeling compelled to help them.
Everyone holds doors open???
Maybe this is a thing in other towns, but it wasn’t in mine and it really surprised me when I got here. I probably have 2-4 perfect strangers hold doors open for me on a daily basis, and I do the same for perfect strangers. I know it sounds like such a small thing but it makes me feel more connected to the 30,000 people here. I know that number is daunting and it can be hard to have a small school feel to a big school, but it really does make you feel like everyone is someone you could connect with in some way.
Football games where everyone is your friend
One of my favorite things about football games is how everyone is immediately your friend. You will most likely be laughing with the girl standing next to you in the student section by the end of the game about something you never thought you’d talk to a stranger about. Sometimes you meet people at a tailgate that you just instantly click with. Plus, when Livin on a Prayer come on and you hear the entire stadium sing at the same time? A truly magical moment. No matter how many different opinions we may have, I swear in that moment we are all actually full of purple and gold blood and are a giant family.
So many opportunities I don’t know what to choose between
One of the main reasons ECU was so attractive to me is that there are just so. Many. opportunities. The tutoring center? Completely free and not only can you get tutoring but you can also work as a volunteer or paid tutor!! There’s also lots of opportunity to work on campus like at the rec center, the NSO, or as a bus driver. Outside of jobs, there seems to always be some career fair going on or some professor that is super willing to work with you on your thesis or any idea you have. There are just so many different ways you can flourish here!!
Campus calzones
I know State has something like this, but as someone who looooves a good calzone my life has been blessed by campus calzones. Every semester I have ever had (plus next semester) my tuesdays are always the most class heavy. Not only do they deliver to every dorm on campus PLUS Joyner Library, on Tuesday’s they have a deal where you can get two calzones for 10.99!!! It is perfect for when you’re studying with someone else. You can also set ahead of time when you want your calzones to be delivered, so if you know it’s gonna be a long night of studying you can go ahead and order your calzone for juuuust when that studying hunger hits. If I still haven’t convinced you, they have like 2398475 options including a make your own with whatever 5 toppings you want.
Hopefully this article either eased your mind about your decision to come to ECU in the fall, or made you even more proud of our amazing school!!! Go pirates!!!