We only have a month left as freshman. It’s scary to think that our freshman year of college is going to be over very soon. Freshman year is the year that is overly hyped as the best year of college. It is the year where we are supposed to make mistakes, grow as people, and have unforgettable nights. Looking back on my freshman year, a lot has happened. A lot.
But I have to wonder, is TCNJ’s freshman year different from other schools? What if we went to a bigger college? What if we had to take a bus to get to a dining hall? What if there were frat houses right on campuses? Everything would be so different.
There are a lot of pros to TCNJ freshman year. As a smaller campus than, say, Rutgers, it is less daunting during the first month. You ease into college life a little more smoothly. The buildings are easily accessible and it is not too hard to find your way around. Additionally, Eickhoff’s proximity to everything is great. In the beginning, you find so many great dining options that your eyes become wider than your stomach.
Then the winter hits. Nobody wants to leave the buildings. Nobody wants to walk to Eickhoff. Suddenly, nobody even likes Eickhoff. Nobody wants to walk to the STUD. Nobody wants to wait on line for a party in the bitter cold. Nobody wants to do anything.
It’s at times like these where board games and movies become go-to activities. You find that you are ordering take-out probably way too much. And finally, you feel as though there is absolutely nothing to do.
But there is stuff to do. It is just a matter of finding out what is going on. Even if you cannot find a legitimate campus activity, bonding in the dorms is always great! The winter months definitely bring people closer together because you find yourself always surrounded by the same people, confined to the residence halls.
However, thinking about it now, I am definitely relieved that winter is over. I certainly plan to make my winter months a little bit more eventful next year; I just don’t know how I am going to go about that just yet.
So, this circles back to my question, is TCNJ freshman year really all that different from other schools? Sure, with a larger school you have a larger pool of people to choose from, but you still probably utilize the connections you have on your floor. Or the connections you have from a sports team.
There would definitely be more going on every night. For instance, there would be more than just the CUB comedy show in a single night. There would likely be an assortment of fun activities to choose from.
Some college campuses have the frat houses right on campus and some within walking distance. I suppose the campus nightlife would be a little livelier with a broader assortment of parties in one night. I have friends who go to larger schools and the houses are right on campus. They go to various houses each Friday.
All in all, TCNJ freshman year is all of what you make of it. You meet great friends. You have great dining options regardless of how sick you get of the food (some college kids are not as fortunate as us – at least we have edible food). Laundry is free. It is easy to get involved on campus. And, there really are things to do on Fridays and Saturdays…you just have to put a little extra effort into finding out what is going on.