You meet a lot of people during your four years of college, and a valuable and unique friendship exists between Upperclassmen and Underclassmen. Take it from this Upperclassman/Underclassman friendship; we have three years under our belt!
Why you should value your Upperclassmen/Underclassmen friendships:
1. You get to relive the excitement of college firsts.
From an Upperclassman:
As a veteran of Siena’ Pep Band, one of my favorite moments every year is the Season Opener at the Times Union Center. Walking into the huge arena, seeing the court for the first time, and watching the team’s intro video is an exciting and memorable moment. Every year, while I feel more and more at home at the TU, I love seeing the Underclassmen’s awe and excitement. From painting faces to teaching cheers, I get to relive the excitement of my first college basketball game every year with my Underclassmen friends.
From an Underclassman:
On the other side of things, being able to go through my firsts with someone who could give me the in on how to get through with ease… I wouldn’t have wanted to go at it any other way. Emily brought everything I went through to a whole new level because I’d get hints to what it was about, whatever it was, but not enough to ruin the surprise. From basketball games to annual events on campus, I loved having Emily fill me in as to where to be and when.
2. You discover new things on campus that you had never found before.
From an Upperclassman:
No matter how much you’ve immersed yourself into campus life over the years, there will always be clubs, activities, and events that have you have passed over. Over the years I have learned so much about Siena’s clubs from Dii. Whether it’s about the new Hip Hop Club on campus or New Hall’s Christmas Movie Night, Dii has always kept me up-to-date on campus life and showed me new activities. I have learned so much that I would have missed out on my own, thanks to my Underclassmen friend.
From an Underclassman:
It is incredible how many things there are on campus and what you can do, most of which I had an ear to listen to all clubs and organizations I have to talk about. I swear I have way much to say, but Emily has always listened to me with genuine interest. She tells me of the upperclassmen insights like what was best for me and what other groups on campus to support. I can’t even express how thankful I am for my involvement on this campus without my Upperclassmen friend.
3. You have someone to share all your best college tips and tricks with.
From an Upperclassman:
In your own experiences over the years, you stumble a lot and learn along the way. Having an Underclassmen friend, you have the amazing opportunity to better the college experience for future classes and share advice to help your younger peers succeed.
From an Underclassman:
Magnets on door frames and face paint ideas for basketball games, there is no limit to all the tricks of college and Siena that I get to learn from my Upperclassmen friends. All things I plan to pass along to my future Underclassmen friends.
4. They keep you grounded.
From an Upperclassman:
Sometimes you need your Underclassmen friend to remind you that everything will be okay. While other friends are in the same boat as you, stressed about finding a job or getting into Grad School, grabbing lunch with a younger friend can help relieve your worries about growing up. They will let you vent and give you a fresh perspective about everything you have going on.
From an Underclassman:
This is where I got to repay my Upperclassmen with all she’s done for me. I love being an ear and someone for her to go to when she’s stressed. It’s because I know I’m going to go through that all, but I haven’t yet. I will always be her naive eyes then can tell her something she might not remember.
5. They keep you laughing and light-hearted.
From an Upperclassman:
Friendships with Underclassmen bring you back to your college roots; from complaining about the showers in Plassmann Hall to obsessing over your favorite professor, I love laughing and reminiscing about the experiences I’ve been through and my friends are going through.
From an Underclassman:
I love sharing stories that everyone has gone through, but in the most Siena-way. My friends from home laugh but don’t understand the real comical aspect of the situations and friends my age sometimes live in different buildings and it just isn’t the same because, come to think about it, it’s most likely going to happen the next week. But reminding my upperclassmen how it feels to stand in the middle shower in the freezing cold because all the other stalls were taken is always met with a reminder that it won’t be long until you’re in a better building.
6. You have someone to cheer on and support after you graduate.
From an Upperclassman:
When I think about leaving Siena, I get sad, but then remember I can always come back home. I look forward to coming back to Siena basketball games and seeing all my Underclassmen woodwind players, cheering Dii on at the next Mr. Siena, and keeping up with all of their future plans when they get ready to graduate.
From an Underclassman:
I don’t ever want you to leave Emily, but knowing I have a friend that will lead me onto the next part of my life with me is an incredible feeling. I know my senior year won’t be lonely without you because I know you will always have a place to stay when coming back to visit. Siena will be different, and yet I know, the little bits of you that you’ve shared will remain in my memory on this campus.
7. They become your little sibling.
From an Upperclassman:
I am so lucky to have made such amazing friendships at Siena. We are more than friends, over the years we have become family. For me Dii has become the little sister I never had. We’ve laughed together, cried together, and attended more basketball games than we can count together. Through it all we’ve supported and cheered each other on, and nothing will ever tear our Upperclassman/Underclassman friendship apart. I am so thankful to have met Dii and can’t wait to see where the future takes us!
From an Underclassman:
I love meeting new people and seeing how greatly their lives have affected mine; Emily has been a very big part of how I’ve grown since my freshmen year until now. I can honestly say I don’t know where I would be in my Siena life without her; as a person, Emily is an amazing person as is, as an Upperclassmen, she has been a role model, an ear, a heart, and one of the closest friends I have in my life. Same with many upperclassmen friends I have, you’ve all share your bits of the Siena life with me and I am excited to pass along your legacy.