College is a time for learning, living, and growing. From the time you first step foot onto campus as a freshman to the last time you walk out as a student at graduation, you have become a changed person. There are many experiences that shape a person in college, and many questions that people want answered. I set out to answer these fundamental questions asked of me about college life.
I have learned a multitude of new lessons and have had an abundance of new experiences as a freshman. However, a lot will change once I become a junior. In hopes of answering the fundamental questions asked by our peers about the changes we face as college students, my friend Abbie, a sophomore at the University of Delaware, and I set out to interview one another and find out our differences.
1. How has your school/workload changed?
T: I went from taking breadth requirement classes that were a breeze to actually being involved in difficult major requirements--AGH! It was incredibly terrifying when the realization hit that each grade I receive has the ability to make or break my future!
A: I have gone from having a 12 credit schedule last year to 16 credits and working 15 hours a week. My day is pretty much all work!
2. How often do you contact your professors?
T: I try to keep in contact with my professors by e-mailing them or staying after class to ask them questions at least once a week. In my opinion, it is better to ask questions and gain an abundance of information rather than find myself in need of information yet lack it.
A: I don’t email my professors unless I absolutely HAVE to. They always think their classes are so easy- why burst their bubble? But honestly, I try and stay as independent as I can, and if I need help, I ask my classmates before my professors. It just works better for me and I can sound a bit more stupid.
3. How much of your obligatory work gets done?
T: Almost all of it! I have an irrational fear of missing something, and the more work I do for a class, the less of a chance I have of missing something and getting a bad grade for it. However, I can't lie and say I have never blown off work in exchange for a great nap.
A: Written assignments get done; studying and reading can wait a little while until it is a bit more urgent. I don’t always manage my time well, but I make sure that I am doing the work when I’m struggling.
4. How do you play (or not play) the “freshman card?”
T: I don’t really play the “freshman” card. However, I definitely feel like a freshman in a negative way in the sense that in addition to studying for exams, attending classes, and completing my homework, I also have to figure out what everyone else has had the chance to learn in the past one, two or three years.
A: I still play the card! I still have no idea what I’m doing, so I tell myself it’s okay not to know things. It’s not like I’m a senior!
5. What do you wear to class?
T: Depends on the time. I have no shame for my early classes and I’ll wear my pajamas (leggings and a sweatshirt) without any hesitation. I have swim practice 3 days a week in the mornings, so there’s no hope those days, either. Basically, my classmates are lucky if they get one, rarely two days of nice clothes, hair, and makeup out of me.
A: It’s complicated. Leggings and hoodies are great, but then if I go to work I feel like business casual needs to be a thing I take into consideration, so I do some math. If I’m spending more of my day at work, I wear work clothes. If not, whatever is clean and I grab first thing in the morning.
6. Does it get easier to find your way around campus?
T: In short, yes! My roommate and I moved in two days early so we could walk around and figure out where our class buildings were. Now, it’s so routine I could certainly make it to my classes with my eyes closed, I mean that is practically how I get to Biology when I am half asleep every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
A: It gets easier to get to all my classes, but there are still some buildings I have never been to and probably won’t have any occasion to go to.
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