Your Freshman Year in College

[DirectorDST99]

For those of you who can think back that far... ...please share with me how your freshman year of college went for you. Could it have been better? What could have been done by the faculty and/or staff that would have made it better? Did you have a good support system? Or was your freshman year trouble and hassle free?

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Director #2
LMAC
Spr 99

[Conspiracy2]

My first year in college was horrible. I didn't receive the kind of guidance that I needed when I was a senior in high school. I found out later about all of the scholarships that I was eligible for, the classes that I could have clepped out of. At least I knew how to network though I worked 3 jobs and took out loans to be able to attend school only to later find out that I should have been at the school that I later transferred to all along, with a scholarship and everything! I don't believe in going into debt for a car or a house, those things are material and can be taken away at any time, but no one can ever take away the knowledge from you that you have attained, I mean your degree can be stolen or burned up, but that knowledge is still inside your head So I didn't mind taking out loans at all. Where there is a will there is a way for anyone who WANTS to go to school! I attend a white institution and I think that what would have helped me was a mentoring program with an older minority student preferably in the same major as my own. Also, I wished there would have been more supportive African American faculty on hand! Not just someone to talk to about academic advising but, anything in general. College is a stessful time, and I needed someone who could relate to that. I knew nothing about financial aid, and nothing was really done to help me interpret all that loan jargon. The best thing out of that situation is this: I now make myself available to anyone who wants to talk to me about attaining a higher education. I want to make them aware of everything, all of the opportunities as well as the sinkholes they can fall into. I don't want them to have a hard as a time that I did! But luckily I had the drive and determination. I have been doing internships in my major since 6th grade, I kept in touch with all of those people that I worked with. I decided to minor in a foreign language to make myself more marketable in my field, I even went to school for a semester in Mexico! I had no academic adivsors pushing me, I don't think they really cared at all about me, I was just another minority...they probably didn't think I would graduate at all So you have to learn how to PUSH yourself! And with GOD and FAMILY all things are possible

By the way, I graduate in May and I will be giving my degree to my parents who worked their fingers to the bone just so I could have the opportunity to go somewhere. They didn't get to go to school, so this is their degree. I can get another degree in something else later !

[dee_style]

My freshman year was not very memorable at all. I was not aware of the many services offered at my University, and my Academic Advisor did'nt advise me one bit. However I learned early on that that is why they give you an undergrad cataloge...everything you need is between those covers. I also experienced a lot of personal problems my first year. I did not know who to talk to and was not aware that there are services available...they will contact your professors for you and work with you so you come out on top. We have a mentorship program here...but for some reason, my mentor never met me. I tried and tried to contact the center, but with no luck.

Since my freshman year, I have learned that there are people here that want you to make it and are very willing to help you in any way if you just reach out to them. As far as the mentorship program...I just reached out to women who had graduated or were graduating that year. These women showed me some the ropes of college life, and we developed real friendships.

I now return the deed to some other freshmen. It's hard moving into a new environment. I just simply invite them to eat with me or call me or visit. I don't want any the young black people here to feel lost or alone. I just hope that I can make a first year students' experience here a little better than mine.

Dee

[mccoyred]

My freshman year (long, long ago and far,far away) at Johns Hopkins was a great life learning experience for me. It was the first time I was away from home for any period of time and therefore making many of my own decisions. Thankfully, my school had a minority mentoring program which paired upperclassmen in the same major with freshman.

I don't feel that the faculty at the school really cared one way or another what the students did academically or otherwise. There were many student groups but they rarely had any fauculty advisors. Especially the Black groups because there was NO black faculty and hardly any black staff in decision-making decisions. I understand that things are a little more diverse now so the black students should be receiving a little more support.

All in all, I beleive freshman year to be the most stressful of all the time in college but also the most educational.

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mccoyred

Dynamic
Salient
Temperate

[Mz. Sports Luva]

My freshman year (oh so long ago) was also HORRIBLE. I had no concept of TIME MANAGEMENT and STUDY SKILLS. I entered college thinking it was the same as high school. Boy, was I ever wrong! My AWAKENING came after my 1st semester grades showed up at my mother's house.

I did, however; have a great advisor that stayed on me and steered me in the right direction. She was very helpful at finding workshops that were offered at my school for time management and improving my study skills.

I agree with Mccoyred: freshman year was the most stressful and educational time of my life b/c I learned so much about myself and I actually grew up and became self-reliant.

But, I do think that all incoming freshmen need some type of high school program that will prepare them for what to expect when they enter college. I wish someone would've told me!

[tickledpink]

My freshman year was fun socially (that was the year that I learned females did not have to stand by for panty raids -- we could actually go on jockey raids ). Academically, I suffered. My mentor did anything but... I did not feel that he was concerned about my grades and it wasn't until the next year when I switched my major, applied for the Honors College, and got a new mentor, that my grades improved.



[This message has been edited by tickledpink (edited November 01, 2000).]

[Rachel0497]

Greetings SisterFriends!!
My freshman year(s) (I had two) were drastically different to say the least. My first one was spent at a small predominately white college in Maryland. It was cold, the people weren't very friendly (esp. the blacks),the staff wasn't all that supportive of blacks, and I just didn't fit in that well. So I transferred to a small HBCU in TX(my home state) and everything was so different. Within the first few days I found a group of sisterfriends that were very supportive-we did everything together. My GPA was excellent at the end of the year, and I got to pledge in my second semester(and found another supportive group of women). So I guess I could say that the second freshman year definitely made up for the first....

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Sassy, Classy, but never Trashy-The Ladies of Z Phi B!

My freshman year, WAAAYYY back in '89 was great socially but academically, it could've been a lot better. Because I'm such a social butterfly, it didn't take me long to meet people and become involved in numerous on-campus activities. But I wish I had someone in my life (such as a mentor)that could've told me that my academic life was more important than my social life . I was too immature to realize this on my own. I didn't learn that leason until the end of my Sophmore year.

Anyway, everything turned out great. I graduated with my bachelors and I will be graduating with my Masters in May 2001.

[interested_cinna]

OMGosh Rachel....which school in MD!!!!! I probably already know..lol

[ASU Diva2003]

My freshman year waayyyy back 4 months ago...lol...was a great learning experience. For once in my life I was away from home and I had to depend on myself. I have learned that (varies in some cases) if you wait on your "advisor" to "advise" you will be in college for a lifetime. My freshman year went really fast and I am starting to feel sort of old (even though I'm 19) because now the freshmen ask me questions about college and I can give them the rundown. I am really enjoying college and at times it is stressful. I must say that in college your success depends on how much work you put in- so "ain't no half steppin". It is important that you learn time management!! VERY IMPORTANT. But hey, I'm a child of the most high and I am truly blessed.

[humblebumblebee]

Whoo... I haven't posted on here in ages, but I had to add my eleven cents.
Hmmm, my freshman year can be summed up in one word: nonexistant. I attend a largely commuter school (<10% of 25,000 live campus), in a ultra URBAN environment so my freshman year was a lot like my senior year in high school (Because everyone fleed the campus grounds after their last class). But this year promises to be much better.
HumbleBumbleBee
******************************************** http://members.blackplanet.com/queen611

[MaMaBuddha]

my first year as a freshman at Bethune Cookman College, i must say was the greatest...i have no bad memories. although i didn't agree with the fact that freshman girls had curfew and the guys didn't. the girls and guys i acquired friendships with, i must say we were the trouble makers on campus, but we were trouble makers in a good way. we always questioning authority and were very political. if there was an issue we wanted to solve it. all of even pledged different organizations and remained close friends.

also i was involved in radio station and we hyped it up and made it controversial because BCC was a methodist college and didn't play hip-hop before a certain time and we didn't let that stop us.

i was on the golf team for 3 years and that was interesting, being the part of the first women's team on BCC campus.

among all of that i still keep in contact with my friends and line sisters.

[Rachel0497]

interested_cinna,
I attended Goucher College-nice place, had a few good times and a few good friends, but not the best school for black students...

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Sassy, Classy, but never Trashy-The Ladies of Z Phi B!

[Babiegyrl]

The first semester of My Freshman year was terrible. I did not recieve the correct information on what chemistry class I was in, and therefore I did not have a good grade in chemistry. My roommate was, she had issues, that carryied over in how she treated people, and I got the worst of it, which caused me to be stressed out. And since I'm such a kindhearted person, and I tried to get along and be friends with her, but that just made me even more miserable. Second semester, was pretty good. I made friends and they keep my spirit up and help me, so it turned out to be good in the end.

[Wonderful1908]

Hello Ladies Of DST and Sf's,

Freshman year for me was 5 years ago. I LOVED freshman year!!! I attend a large HBCU and being from Cali it was my first time around so many young Black people(and away from home). I had fun, now I realize why...no bills, no worries, just go to class and make good grades! I can't even imagine life being that carefree again. Ahhhhhh the memories! It also allowed me to use the God given sense I was born with, and to use the values my parents sent me there with.