Hello, class of 2018! Wow, that is the weirdest thing in the world to say, but I guess that I'll be saying that one day. So much has happened in the past year that I can only imagine what it'll be like when I'm a junior. Here is what I would say to them:
Converse was my dream place to go to school so when I first came here, I thought it was going to be perfect. I loved what I was going to school for and every class was going to be enjoyable.
I was proven wrong.
Yes, I have enjoyed my time at Converse so far, but there have been some bumps in the road. First of all, It is so hard to know how to be organized for classes. They're not much different from high school classes, but the hardest part is keeping all of them straight. In high school, it seemed like all of your classes were related in some way, but in college, some days I feel SO scattered. The main thing to keep in mind is on to stay on top of EVERYTHING! Secondly, you have got to have passion. According to Dictionary.com, passion is "any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling". Music has always been a strong part of my life but I didn't realize how much until I got to college. College stretches your passion for something in ways you can't imagine. At Converse, I knew I was going to have to be in the music building a lot, but I never realized just how much! I practically LIVE in the music building now, which at times isn't so bad but other times it is miserable. So I advice you to go into something you're sightly obsessed with.
One of the biggest surprises when I got here was how casually some aspects of college were handled but how professionally others were treated. For instance, the attendance policy is based on you. If you go to class, YOU benefit from the class. Professors normally don't care. When it comes to performances on the other hand, professors expect you to be professional, well put together, punctual, and responsible for your actions during the performance or recital. This is something a little different than how most high schools treat their students.
Socially, the biggest advice I would give would be to learn to say no. It's never fun to say no, but sometimes you HAVE to say no! If you say yes to every little thing, you'll end up so busy, you won't be able to get up and go with friends to get frozen yogurt or simply hang out with your hall mates. Also, college makes you rub shoulders with all kinds of people, so take the opportunity to learn from them. Be open to everything, but stand your ground on what you believe are right. Living with a roommate is probably the biggest challenge I have overcome. Everyone is different and has certain quirks. This can make living with someone else kind of hard. The best thing to do is like I said before, be open to everyone and be PATIENT with one another.
The most important thing I would tell you, class of 2018, as cheesy as it may seem, is to BE YOURSELF! Don't let anyone change who you are. Make your own decisions and do your own work so that YOU can learn. Enjoy the decisions you make and be confident in them.
Good luck, Class of 2018 and remember the Class of 2016 is here for you anytime you need anything!
I love your real attitude that you take on in your post. You give the freshmen your real experience and you don't act like it is all just a fairytale world here at Converse. I hope you get picked to speak to the SSS class when we are juniors! Good job Lydia!
ReplyDeleteYou did really good with your post. You are straightforward and serious with what you are telling them. You did a good job of telling them the good and the bad. Good work!
ReplyDeleteI REALLY loved reading your post! It was well strung together and flowed like music itself! (Sorry, that was a little dorky...) Any who, you did a really good job staying on subject as well as punctuation and tone of the writing. In much shorter and simpler words, well done.
ReplyDeleteYou come up with the cutest titles for your posts:) You were serious and straightforward, but in a way that isn't scary or intimidating. Good job! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is all very good, Lydia. I know you've had some struggles trying to manage your priorities and such, but I have no doubt that you'll navigate it all just fine. One thing to be aware of: actually, professors DO care if you come to class. Our classes are small, and we totally notice if you're not there (physically or mentally). Attendance in some classes might not show up as a grade on the syllabus, but it's a definite standard as to how we view your ability to take charge of your own life, which is a bit more important than a grade, yes? :-)
ReplyDelete