Dear freshman,
Welcome to your home for the next four years. Welcome to late nights, frat parties, homesickness, empty pockets, and newfound freedom. I hope these prove to be the best four years of your life, as they should be. I hope that what you experience and accomplish on this college campus brings you triumph in your future endeavors. From someone who has been there and done that, here are a few suggestions to make your freshman year one for the books.
GET INVOLVED. I cannot stress this enough. Get out of your bed and go to that interest meeting. Run for that executive board position. Put yourself out there. Build your brand. Being a part of an organization that you genuinely enjoy will be the heart of your social experiences in college. You are no longer the big fish in a small pond that you were in high school. You are now a goldfish in an ocean. Getting involved is a great way to develop strong relationships with others that share the same interests, values, and morals as you. You’ll meet some lifelong friends and create unforgettable memories.
Go to class. This may seem like an obvious one, because why else would you be in college? You’ll quickly learn that many college students overdose on their independence and let their priorities dissolve into thin air. Be responsible and go to class! Stay focused and keep your eye on the prize. Your professor might bore you to death, but I’d much rather be dead with an A than alive and flunking out of college.
The next four years will be the most self-defining years of your life. You will change. You will not leave as you came. In fact, you will learn so much about yourself, that you won’t even recognize who you were as a freshman. Although this growth is essential, it is important to always stay true to your personal values and morals. Be yourself and let the rest fall into place — never get caught up in trying to be something that you aren’t.
It’s okay to say no. You don’t have to go to that party if you don’t want to. Your paper that is due at 11:59 p.m. is much more important than the shot of alcohol your roommate is offering you. Prioritize and be smart about your time. There will always be other parties.
The college struggle is real. There will be days that you have no money, the café will be unbearably crowded, and your stomach will be touching your back. SAVE YOUR FLEX DOLLARS. Don’t overdose on Subway and W.O.W. in the first few weeks of the semester because you will regret it later.
Most importantly, you are now a part of the family we have here at NCCU, and here, we look out for each other. Inspire your classmates, your floor-mates, and the person behind you in the Starbucks line. At the end of the day, we are all that we have. Our fight to bring positive recognition to our institution’s name starts from within the boundaries of our campus. Spread love.
Enjoy your freshman year.
XOXO,
An Eagle who’s been there and done that