Kate Salamida- One thing I wish I could go back and tell my freshman self is to get involved more. Even though I’m only a second semester freshman, I wish I took more ination when getting involved with clubs and campus activities. I have absolutely loved the clubs I’ve joined this semester like WTOP, WNYO, and Her Campus. These organizations have opened a lot of doors for me and have given me so many opportunities and I wish I started sooner!
Erin Blank- If I could go back, and tell my freshman self one thing it would be that there is change coming, and it will be hard to accept, but it will be beneficial. Coming into this school in Fall 2019, I thought I knew everything. Boy was I wrong. The COVID shut down made me sit down and think about what I want to do with my life and my career, and I realized that I was not happy with what I was doing. So in turn, I tried new things, met new people, applied to the Disney College Program, and will be going down at the end of July. Freshman year me wouldn’r have ever thought about doing the things I’m doing now.
Jasmine- As I look back at my college experience, one thing that I would tell my freshman self is to break out of my shell. For instance, I would suggest becoming more involved and taking on leadership roles. Whether this be from joining E-Boards or just trying to leave a lasting impact on the SUNY Oswego community.
Tess- I honestly think I would tell my freshman self that college isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Being away from home for extended periods of time and only having a handful of friends around made it really difficult to adjust and figure out exactly who I was and what I was going to do with myself. The entire point of moving away from home is to experiment and test yourself, though. I can easily say that the challenges thrown my way have forced me to grow as a person, and I’ve found that I am currently happier than I have ever been previously. I’ve become more sure of myself and everything I want in life, which has been lovely to experience.
Riley- If I could go back and give my freshman self some advice, I would tell myself that while change is hard, it means good things are coming. I experienced so much change coming into college and I expected myself to adjust much quicker than was realistically possible. These expectations not being met really threw me off and made me feel as though I was doing something wrong, but I learned over time that change and adjustment take time and as hard as it can be things do get better in the end.
Allyson- As I’m wrapping up my final semester here at Oswego, there is one thing I wish I could have told myself my Freshman year: you do not have to do everything, be everything, and tackle everything at once. It is okay to only participate in a few clubs, to take a day off on the weekend and not do anything, and to prioritize your well-being over others’. You do not have to be perfect, the best, or the highest achieving. It is okay, as well as necessary, to take breaks; be it from schoolwork, people, or extracurricular activities. Savor these four years and learn all you can, but spend an equal amount of time relaxing and soaking in everything you’re experiencing. It will make you smarter, kinder, stronger, and most importantly, more patient with yourself.
Shanae- Thinking back to my freshman year of college in Fall 2019, I would tell myself to have more fun instead of locking myself up in my room all the time to do work and distract myself from the fun times that everyone else was enjoying. I would really like to emphasize that life is too short and college can become a blurry moment that passes by really quickly if you don’t make the most out of it. Take advantage of the endless opportunities here that you will never get the chance to do again. Leave your comfort zone and have more spontaneous moments.
Katie – Even though I am wrapping up my freshman second semester, I would tell my pre-college self that you are stronger than you think. When I thought about the transition from high school to college, I was worried about how I will manage my social life, extracurriculars, and schoolwork, which made me feel overwhelmed. However, when I arrived at college, I adjusted quickly and successfully balanced each area. I would tell my past self to reflect that I did well in school in previous years and enjoyed participating in new activities. I would tell my past self I have learned the study skills, inner motivation, and positive mindset to be successful. I had to remember how I have successfully handled different situations, so I will have a terrific first year at college from what I have learned about myself and the life lessons I will use. Do not doubt yourself and your inner strength. College is about expecting the unexpected!
Jileiny- Thinking of freshman year, I am grateful that I took every opportunity to perform and be a part of things on campus. Putting myself out there has opened doors for me that I did not know I wanted or needed. With that being said I would give the advice to incoming freshmans and current freshmans put yourself out there. Sometimes to be better, you have to be uncomfortable. Explore, join different clubs, different organizations, connect with people who take you out of your comfort zone because you don’t know who you can meet. Networking is so important and you never know who is watching. I would tell freshman year me to keep striving and pushing for better, after every storm the sun comes out. Take breaks, allow yourself to breathe and take things one step at a time.
Jaylea – If I were to tell my freshman self anything, it would be to get involved as soon as possible, and to not let grades override my mental health. As a freshman in college, I was very reserved and held myself back from plenty of opportunities because of my nerves. I also let many of my grades define me, and found myself crying if I received anything less than an A. As time has passed, I’ve learned that grades are not everything, and that mental health and a sense of belonging are so much more. Being at SUNY Oswego helped me learn that, and I am so thankful. Also, I would like to tell myself that I am proud of her. As a first generation college student doing everything on her own, she is doing great and in the end, it all pays off. <3