Interview with Freshmen Students (Stanford, Texas A&M, Loyola University Chicago, University of North Texas, SUNY Purchase, NYU)

Something I have always valued is listening to other peoples' stories and experiences. I think that every human being experiences some sort of life event or struggle that someone else in the world is also experiencing. One of my goals in life if I pursue writing or journalism, is to be able to meet all different types of people and share their stories to give them a voice. Because of this, I wanted to reach out to some of my friends at various colleges to see what their experience has been and share them with you. I used their initials rather than their names so that they could be completely honest about their transition and life in college and have color coded each person so that they are easy to follow. You can read all the responses to each question at once or you can follow one person's answers, whatever your heart desires. I will also be answering these questions as well. A BIG thank you to those who were a part of this!

Side Note: I don't know why the format is weird and off

sometimes so I 'm really sorry! I tried to fix it but enjoy 

the responses!!!

1. Please state your school and your major.

JR: Stanford University - Bioengineering 

MN: Texas A&M College Station, business major- planning on going into the management field

MS: Loyola University Chicago— Biochemistry.

MK: I am a freshman this year at the University of North Texas majoring in Rehabilitation Studies.

KS: I am a Dance and Psychology Major at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance.
RL: New York University, Dance

2. How has your college experience been so far? 

JR: Difficult in adjusting to academic rigor and new social setting

MN: It's been a little difficult from going from high school with a set stable friend group to a college where only one friend from high school went and having to make new friends and “start over”. However, academics are going pretty well. Right now, I’m only taking the basic classes before i start taking major specific classes. 

MS:  It’s been pretty good! My major is pretty hard but besides that I’ve been enjoying myself. 

MK: My college experience so far has been exciting but challenging. Adjusting to all the changes that come with transitioning from high school to college was difficult and overwhelming at times. Now that I am more well adjusted, I am enjoying my classes and how much more independent the class work is. 

KS: My college experience has been amazing so far. The Dance Program is like no other. 
RL: It's been pretty good. Most days, I love it. Other days, it can get hard with schedules, adulting, homework, etc. 

3. What is something you have learned about yourself? 

JR: I have to set aside time to do things for myself and not feel guilty for not studying or doing work ALL the time. Taking time for yourself still counts as being productive. 

MN: I actually really liked dancing. I pursued it in high school but decided on a different direction for college and now I miss it. Also, I was kind of nervous being on my own, but I have learned that i can actually do it!

MS: I’ve learned that nothing is too difficult to accomplish. 

MK: If I think too far ahead into the future, I can’t be fully present in the moment that I’m in. I’ve learned that I can enjoy where my life’s at right now without worrying about where it’s going next. 

KS: I have learned that when I run into a challenge I try to work my way around it, instead of working through it. Being at Purchase, with the amazing faculty, has really pushed me out of my comfort zone and has helped me gain confidence. I now work through the challenges rather than running away from them.
RL: I have learned how much there is to learn about myself. I thought I had a really good idea of who I was and what I liked but my perspectives, likes, and dislikes seem to be changing or growing each day. 

4. Have you joined any clubs? If not, why not?

JR: Yes - SWE (Stanford Women in Engineering), Urban Styles (Contemporary and jazz dance performance group)

MN: Yes, I joined a sorority.

MS: Yes! I have joined the Black Cultural Center at my university. It’s a great way to meet other black students since we only make up about 5% of the school. In fact, I recently ran for a position on the executive board and I was voted in!

MK: I haven’t joined any clubs yet. I guess I haven’t felt like I’ve had the time to do so. I was also feeling very overwhelmed trying to balance school and work and prioritizing my self-care that joining a club just seemed like too much. Now that I’m halfway through the semester, I think I will wait until next semester to join a club.

KS: I have not joined any clubs because there is no time for due to classes and rehearsals.
RL: I actually haven't, but I'd like to. I just focused so much on adjusting and didn't really think about clubs, but I plan on joining one soon. I think it's a great way to find a community. 

5. How is your living situation? 

JR: Okay - My dorm is a lot louder than I expected but I’m getting used to constantly being around a lot of people all the time. I’ve learned to find other places to have quiet moments alone that aren’t my room.

MN: Very good, I live in a “dorm” on campus but it is apartment style, so it has a living room, kitchen, 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Therefore, I have my own space when i want it. My roommates and i have gotten along very well! 

MS: Great. I live with two other girls who are both pretty cool. Our dorm is really nice, and I love it. 

MK: I decided to live at home this year since my campus is only about 20 minutes away. What I like about living at home is having my own space, free food and rent, and I get to see my dogs. What I don’t like about living at home is living with my parents. Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents, but now that I’m in college it can be challenging to live with them at times. I have a lot of independence and freedom, but it doesn’t always feel like it when I’m at home. Sometimes it can feel like I’m still in high school.
KS: My living situation is okay. My dorm room was meant for two people, but they accepted a lot of freshman so they changed all of the double rooms into converted triples so it’s a little tight. Besides that, everything else is pretty good.

RL: It's pretty okay. Besides some cleaning issues, I think everything has been going well. I honestly don't see my suite mates and roommates that often but they are really nice. 

6. Do you feel like you have grown in some shape or form? If yes, how so? 

JR: School has recently started, so I don’t feel I’ve changed that much yet. 

MN: Yes, I have definitely come out of my shell and have been able to approach people, especially during recruitment week! 

MS: I do feel that I have grown a lot. Being so far away from my mom, in Dallas, has made me not rely on her in situations, which means I usually have to handle it myself. 

MK: I feel like I have grown in a few different ways. I think I have grown in my self-confidence for one. Coming into college, I was really nervous about making friends, and I think in a way it forced me to be more comfortable with myself and more confident that people would want to be friends with me. I've also been better at making decisions which I have always had a hard time doing because I care so much for other people and never want to disappoint. I’ve had to make a lot decisions since starting college, and I’ve learned that it’s ok to say no and that sometimes I need to make decisions based on what’s best for me. I feel like I have also grown in my faith. College is full of a lot of uncertainty, but I am learning to trust God with my future. 
KS: Yes, I feel like I have grown as a dancer and a person. I have truly found who I am. This program challenges you in ways that were unexpected. It's incredible.

RL: Yes. I feel like I have grown as a dancer. Technique classes have really pushed me and being in this environment surrounded by other dancers have really inspired me. I also think college forces you to grow up a bit. You have to be mature and be able to take care of yourself to survive. 

7. What do you feel like makes your program/school different from everyone else’s?

JR: My school is extremely academically rigorous with every single student being super driven, smart, and talented. It is inspiring yet sometimes intimidating to be around such amazing people all the time and trying to find your place to belong. 

MN: Everyone at A&M is so friendly and welcoming that you never feel like an outsider. We are deep in tradition, so pretty much everything has a history or reason for it! Also, the aggie network when you graduate is very strong and eager to help graduates out! 

MS: Well first, if you haven’t seen a picture of Loyola Chicago look it up because the campus is breathtaking! We are right by lake Michigan which makes it so beautiful. Also, we are a small Jesuit school, which I appreciate because I don’t enjoy huge universities. 

MK: My school has an amazing music program that a large proportion of the students are a part of. While that is what we’re best known for, everyone kind of just does his or her own thing. At UNT, there’s something for everyone. 
KS: This program is different from every other college because it has everything. We have ballet and modern technique classes everyday in beautiful studios and the teachers are amazingly good. After technique classes, you have electives and improvisation classes. You also get to audition to be apart of senior choreography and the Purchase Dance Company which includes one performance for each semester by outside choreographers. Another thing that sets us apart from other schools is that we are an hour outside the city. It's basically in the woods. It really allows yourself to not be influenced by your surroundings and to truly be you.  You get the option to go to the city whenever you want, but also come back to a campus that feels like home. 

RL: I think the main thing is that you aren't enclosed to a campus. You're free to roam around the city and see many beautiful things. You get so many opportunities to see shows, go to museums, and eat great food. 

8. How have you dealt with homesickness if you have experienced that? 

JR: Calling my friends at home and trying to implement some of the things I used to do routinely at home at my school in some way.

MN: Since I am only 3 hrs away from home, if I get homesick, I can always just go home. But at the same time, I have tried to limit the amount of time I go home because I know if I go home every time I am homesick, then it will never get better.

MS: Making new friends has helped me in times I’ve felt homesick. I haven’t experienced it too much, but when I do, I just hang out or meet new people to distract me. 

MK: Living at home, I haven’t really had to deal with any homesickness
KS: I haven't experienced homesickness yet because this place really feels like home. The people I am surrounded by are loving and kind people who push me everyday. Of course I miss my family and friends back home, but it's time to start my next chapter and work my hardest to live my dreams.

RL: I'm definitely experiencing now... I'll let you know when I figure out how to deal with it(:

9. Do you think you picked the right school? 

JR: Yes - I think going to college as a general is a difficult transition especially when I did not know really anyone prior to coming. This school is flooding with cool opportunities and inspiration and I am ready to get to a place where I can take advantage of it all. 

MN: Yes, definitely. If I had to do it again, I would not change a thing. 

MS: At first, I wasn’t sure considering I committed to the school without ever visiting. However, after being her for a while I can say I truly love it here. I have met so many people and can meet so many more in such a big city like Chicago. 

MK: I was very skeptical about coming to UNT. I wasn’t even planning on applying to UNT let alone coming here. It was sort of my “back-up” plan. That being said, I love UNT and I think I picked the right school for me. 
KS: Yes, I believe I picked the right school. It was the perfect choice.

RL: Yes, one-hundred percent. I love it here. It's everything I wanted. I can't picture myself anywhere else. 

10. One piece of advice for someone who is highly considering your school.

JR: If you are highly considering Stanford, you need to tune into yourself and ask yourself what you are passionate about in life. Anyone can make a list of their accomplishments, but how have YOU made a difference? Impacted someone or a community? Been changed by your experiences? Self-reflection is the most important part of the application. Stanford doesn’t want a show-off, they want an inspiration. Aside from trying to get in, you need to make sure the culture is for you. Stanford is known as somewhere where it is difficult to find your place when you are surrounded by so many amazing individuals. Are you ready to not be the best in class? To fail things? To not get every opportunity you apply to? Preparing for failure and having the ability to accept and learn from it is a super important skill you need in order to go to a top university. 

MN: Don’t hesitate to ask for help, everyone is so friendly and willing to help you succeed!

MS: Loyola Chicago is really big on community service. So if you want to come and would like a scholarship, make sure you are giving back to your community. I received a large scholarship for it which helped a lot to pay for the school!

MK: I would also advise looking into/applying to the Honors College. I am in the Honors College and there are a lot of opportunities and benefits that come with being an honors student. There are study abroad opportunities, smaller honors classes, early registration, honors scholarships, and one of my favorite things I’ve discovered is the honor lounge where there is free coffee.
KS: If you want to pursue dance here, make sure you truly want to dance for the rest of your life. This program is intense and you dance every minute of every day. Make sure this is what you want.

RL: New York University is so diverse and so many students have come in and out of this school. The people that go to this school have big dreams and take any and every action to accomplish them. Be hard-working, be inspiring, and allow yourself to be inspired. Figure out what you can bring that is different than everyone else. Be able to tell your story, your life experiences, and your perspectives clearly. There's only one you, and you are already special. Just be able to really tell them why you're special.