In response to the Oct. 31’s Undergraduate Retention Launch Meeting (see page 1), The Current asked Brianna Erkman, senior communication studies major, to tell us about her experience as an undergraduate Shark, along with her opinion on changes she’s seen throughout the years.
Those of us who are graduating will certainly remember our freshman year because it was the first time that many of us were on our own, free to run our lives independent from our parents’ watchful eyes. It was start of what we were told would be the best years of our lives. As a freshman, it does not matter whether you attend a large or small university because everything is new and exciting with the hopeful promise of a great future just around the corner.
I will admit that I was absolutely terrified to attend college, just as I am sure many incoming freshmen were. Attending orientation helped calm my nerves. When I went to orientation, incoming freshmen would pack their bags and spend the weekend away at NSU the summer before the fall semester started. It was a preview of life on campus before the beginning of our first year. Student were organized into groups by major, which was a smart idea because it gave the incoming students the opportunity those on a similar path. Instant friendships were formed and, in my case, that included finding a roommate. I was so grateful that I had the chance to go to orientation, as I met many great people who I still call friends today. After attending orientation in July, I counted down the days to the beginning of the semester.
When move-in day finally arrived, it was an unbelievable experience. Arriving at Leo Goodwin dorm with upbeat music playing loudly in front of the dorm gave me a feeling of excitement as I realized that this campus was going to be my home for the next four years. I remember looking around at the chaos of moving in, as all the new students ran excitedly back and forth from their cars to their dorm, and the staff welcomed us with warm smiles and helping hands. After all our things were moved in, there were the grumblings from our parents as they patiently, or maybe not so patiently, tried to put furniture and shelves together in our rooms, and if we didn’t have everything we needed, we went on yet another shopping trip. Although that was a few years ago for me, I would bet that incoming freshman had similar experiences. There are some things that just do not change with time.
However, orientation changed dramatically this year, and I’m not convinced the change was for the better. Instead, of spending a weekend during the summer at NSU, students arrived at school a week early to move in and then went to five full days of orientation, which can be a little much for freshmen. Hosting orientation over the summer gave students the opportunity to build stronger friendships with people and let freshmen to pick their roommate, rather than being paired with one they have never met. Two days seemed like the perfect amount of time to learn everything about NSU that an incoming freshman needs to know.
Making the most of your college experience means taking charge of your life and finding a sense of belonging. By attending freshmen orientation activities, becoming involved in different organizations and taking advantage of the small class size, my freshmen experience was made that much more memorable.
There is hardly a better way to prepare for the real world than getting involved on campus with all the different organizations NSU has to choose from. There are so many: Greek life, student government, honor societies, multicultural clubs, student media, community service, and so many more. What made my freshman year an amazing experience was Greek life. Becoming a part of a sorority helped open up a variety of new opportunities, friendships and experiences.
When I wasn’t with my sorority, I was, of course, keeping up with schoolwork. The hours of studying in college can be a shock to those of us who weren’t adequately prepared for such grueling study habits during high school, and it can be a shock even to those who were. One particular advantage that many college students at other universities don’t get is small class sizes, which is one of NSU’s greatest attributes. It gives freshmen the wonderful opportunity to become more involved in their education, instead of just being a number in a large lecture hall. Having a small class environment gives students a much easier opportunity to ask questions, participate in discussions, share ideas, and get close to a professor who actually knows you by name.
I know I made the right choice because NSU has given me everything I could ask for in a college experience, both personally and academically. It has been the most incredible four years of my life, from building lifelong friendships to figuring out my career path and life goals, and it all began at freshmen orientation. Thanks to all of these memorable experiences, in a few months, I will be able to call myself a proud NSU alum.
