A Senior’s Advice to Incoming Freshmen
A Senior's Advice to Incoming Freshmen
Kevynne Dimaano is a recent gradute of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, graduating with a degree in English with a concentration in Linguistics. She also has minors in Forensic Science and Women and Gender Studies. Kevynne was the President of the Patriot Activities Council, an Ambassador for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and was the Vice President of Visits for the Mason Ambassadors. Her hometown is Farmville, Virginia.
Kevynne Dimaano is a recent gradute of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, graduating with a degree in English with a concentration in Linguistics. She also has minors in Forensic Science and Women and Gender Studies. Kevynne was the President of the Patriot Activities Council, an Ambassador for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and was the Vice President of Visits for the Mason Ambassadors. Her hometown is Farmville, Virginia.
As a senior, there have been many, many, many things I’ve learned in my four years at Mason, and a lot of them are things I wish I could’ve known freshman year. So here are the most important ones that I think everyone coming into college should know, free of charge!
Get Out of Your Room
I’m not saying join all the clubs, befriend every person you meet, or stay out at all hours of the day and night. Mostly, I’m just saying that making friends – and by extension, having any fun – usually banks on you leaving your room every once in a while. Take it from someone who came to Mason in the Fall of 2020; staying in your room sucks, and it is incredibly isolating. I think I made a grand total of one actual friendship my freshman year of staying in my room, and once I was actually allowed to leave my room, making more friends and getting out of my room made life a lot more enjoyable, and it made Mason a way better place to be.
Know Yourself and Advocate for Yourself
Very cryptic, I know, but I’m mostly talking in terms of your comfort zone or things that bring you joy. If you joined a club because you thought it was the right thing to do, and you’re absolutely hating it? Quit! Maybe the friends you made the first week of classes aren’t actually that fun to be around? Start branching out! Not every friendship is meant to last a lifetime. Taking a class that maybe you’re just not ready for? It’s okay to push it off to another semester if you can! Trust me – life (and college) is far too short to be unhappy in your situation.
Figure Out Your Studying Style
Yes, I’m including an actually practical, academic one. If you don’t know how you do your best work academically, you’ll spend a lot of time floundering around. For example, I don’t really focus well doing homework in my room because all of my things are there, and why would I do my homework if I could actually spend all of my time watching TV in a bed trying to figure out how to crochet? Instead, I leave my room and do homework somewhere else on campus until I think I’ve gotten enough done to call it quits for the day. Then, I’ll go home and watch TV and accidentally tie knots in my yarn instead of crocheting the hat I’ve been trying to make for weeks. So just save yourself some time and sanity, and figure out how you do work in your first year.
And finally…it’s not the end of the world.
College can be the time in a lot of people’s lives where they’re experiencing next-level hurt or just feeling a lot of anxiety. One failed test or bad feedback on an assignment can cause you to start spiraling into the never-ending pit of despair. Friendship break-ups and romantic break-ups can make your appetite disappear, and you’re once again facing that pit of despair. As someone who’s gone through a lot of the not-so-fun things that could happen in college, I can attest that it’s not the end of the world. I got broken up with by my high school sweetheart freshman year, and now I’m with someone infinitely better. I’ve lost some friendships, but I’ve also made those lifelong friendships that adults always talked about. I absolutely bombed my Physics exams, but I still ended up passing both classes and getting those credits. While you’re in it, those situations will feel like the end of the world, and you’ll hate every second. But once you’re through the worst of it, you’ll always make it out the other side.
So those are the things I wish I knew coming into Mason, and I hope they help you out whenever you start college. I hope you have an amazing time.
