Glasthal is an NSU alumnus who graduated in 2021 with a degree in Communication.
Every year of college is essential to your emotional, academic and spiritual growth. We learn so much in just four years, so much so it feels as though the time is doubled. For me, each year had its own purpose. My own experiences aside, I believe each year of college has a blueprint and if you do college right, these blueprints should prove to result in a memorable and beneficial college experience.
Freshman year
You could call this year “the year of the sponge.” Freshman year for me was nothing but absorption. It was the only thing you could do in a new environment full of fresh faces. Absorb everything you can. Observe how people function. Observe and reflect on how you and your peers handle conflicts. Observe how your institution works and learn what system it follows. This year you just want to get as much information as you can, whether through research, hearsay or experience.
Sophomore year
Sophomore year for me was like freshman year part two, mainly because I was still fresh. I was a toddler in college years. However, this is where your absorption comes in handy. You are placed in similar situations, similar classes, and now you can put what you learned in your first year to use. Albeit you may or may not fail at truly conquering college this year, but what’s trial without error? Your second year of college is really the beginning of pushing the buttons you want to push. It is the year you take chances.
Junior year
Junior year was peak “college experience” for me. Now a seasoned veteran, you enter this year prepared for what college has to throw at you. Class registration is a science you are now well-versed in. Social dynamics and core relationships have been formed. This is the year you have fun. This is the year you really start hacking at the core of your major and even explore internships and other work opportunities. Junior year is the year you want to stop for a second, take it all in and truly enjoy what it is like to be college student.
Senior year
This is the final step in a long journey. This year for me was jam-packed with work and preparations. Whether or not you have to take a lot of courses this year is dependent on your course load throughout the whole three years prior, but needless to say: you will not be taking this year easy. Senior year is the finish line which also means that it is that final and most extensive push. You want to push yourself as hard as you can and remind yourself of what you are working so hard for. You enjoy what it is like to be a senior, but you also get to see what the new generation is going to be like. By the end, you are grateful, tired and ready for the next stage.
Just make sure you keep a photo album through it all. You’re going to be so happy you kept one. Good luck on your college career and remember to take it all one step at a time!
