I have had the luxury of being an EIP (Eagle Incentive Program) student and it was one of the greatest experiences I had ever been a part of. For future Georgia Southern University students, if you are presented the opportunity to attend EIP, do it! EIP is a five-week semester during the summer. What I liked the most about EIP was that there was not as people on campus like there is during the regular semester. This, in a way, helps incoming freshmen experience the campus better because you have more space.
The fall semester was a little hectic at first for me. As a freshmen, you are 17, 18 and 19 years old walking around and sitting in a classroom with 21, 22, and 23-year-olds.
I came out to Georgia Southern for a visit November 2014 and my mother and I. We had stopped inside the Russell Union by Chick Fil A. My mom asked me to go and get her a lemonade and I just sat there and burst into tears. She looked up and asked me what was wrong and the first thing that came out of my mouth was “I’m scared to be alone at school with all these big kids.” She just hugged me and we both started laughing at each other.
Once I actually graduated and came over the summer I had the time of my life. My roommates were and still are some of the best roommates I could have ever had. The friends that I have here at Southern are some of the most loving souls, that I will never forget. My first semester classes were beyond amazing. I feel like I had some of the best professors on campus.
It was really stressful at times because I was on my own, and I didn’t know how to balance everything. But I think I’m getting the hang of it. If you don’t do anything in college, make sure you take a break and experience college. You’re here to learn, before anything else, but experience being here, because you aren’t just learning in class. Being in college and being on campus, you learn about yourself and you learn a lot about life. A class teaches you what you need to know to live in life, but college helps you learn how to live first. What I’ve learned, the most important lesson, studies come first but make time for actually living. There are a bunch of things to do on campus. Find something you like, or find some and do it.
College can be pretty scary sometimes. But there is definitely something here to do for everyone. My first semester is one experience I will never forget. College allowed me to have fun and live life. I’ve found an amazing organization that I love being a part of.