Every new academic year is filled with hopes and dreams, but freshman year is even more special as it marks the beginning of a new journey. It is compact with passion and high expectations for oneself, but sometimes it lacks specific plans to achieve them. So today, I accumulated some wise comments from many individuals on the campus to give you ideas about what priorities you should set in your college life. I hope that you will be able to find at least one piece of advice that you will find helpful during your stay at Andrews.
Nathaniel Sitanggang (junior, finance)
“Don’t be dumb.”
Timmy Duado (senior, marketing)
“Invest in an oil diffuser.”
Hannah Venn (senior, animal science)
“Do your homework. It’s a pain to do, but your homework can determine whether you pass a class or not, and you don’t want to have to retake a class. I know we hear it a lot, but it will save you so much stress and worry if you don’t procrastinate. Just do some work each day and it won’t overwhelm you or seem like too much.”
Kamillie Hernandes (sophomore, biochemistry)
“As a second year student, I’ve had my ups and downs when it comes to college. So if I had to give a piece of advice to the freshmen it would be two things: to make a schedule and stick to it. If you schedule everything out, you’ll find yourself having more time to yourself. The other is that one bad grade will not define you. There are so many people stressing so much about grades. Yes, you should try to get a good grade–but you should also give yourself a break sometimes. Enjoy your first year at Andrews and make it a good one!”
Isaiah Elysee (senior, finance)
“Prioritize your health, happiness, and experiences before your classes.
There are professors who are hard and ones who are easy…choose the easy ones.
Bring a jacket…it’s brick out here 🤧”
John Roosenberg (junior, biochemistry)
“Don’t be afraid of your classes and try if it’s possible to enjoy the content. Also, give Berrien a chance.”
Ashlee-Rose Wilson (senior, religion and French)
“You are worth more than your degree.
Live well.
There will be help when you need it.
Also, touch the grass before it snows.”
Gina Park (junior, music)
“First of all, develop good time management skills. Do your assignments ahead of time instead of procrastinating at the very last minute. Also, always remember that there are a lot of people around to help you, whether that be your professors or your friends!”
Ntakirutimana Francine (sophomore, business)
“Don’t take sleep for granted.”
Jhoana Mortera (junior, public health)
“You should carry some hot sauce with you; it always comes in handy.”
Zoe Gentles (senior, chemistry)
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are so many academic help resources available on campus, so tap into them! It can often seem like you're the only one struggling in a course, but trust me–you are not. I got through a lot of my classes by being a part of study groups and frequenting professors’ office hours.”
Abraham Bravo (senior, political science)
"Make sure you make friends throughout your years here at Andrews. Don’t stick with the same kinds of people and be sure to branch out so you can experience what Andrews fully has to offer. Also don’t take 8:30 classes if you [don’t have to].”
Hannie Casamayor (junior, biology)
“‘Late night convos’ are great and all but just remember that you have an 8 am class tomorrow”
Noah Opsahl (senior, landscape and environmental design)
“Look at the trees.”
Enlai Wang (senior, biology)
“Play more.”
I still remember coming into Andrews with vague ideas of what I'd become in the future, but with strong determination that I would live my best life for the next four years in this place. Now that I'm a senior, I can say with confidence that not everything went as planned, and I definitely did not live THE life I dreamed of three years ago. In fact, I ended up doing a lot of messed up things on lots of occasions, many times because of my fear.
So, my advice is to not let fear deter you from making the right decisions as you spend your time in college! I also hope you will remember that you will still be okay even if you end up messing up big time. Don't be afraid to make a choice and don't spend time regretting the ones you have already made. Every choice you make, whether good or bad, will probably end up being the best one you could have made at the moment. Leave your worries behind. There is no need to stress about perfection; perfection does not always bring the best moments in life. You are already where you need to be for the best life possible. You got this!
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.