Old and new, The Outlook wants to welcome you back to Monmouth. We are excited to kick off another great year.
Freshmen, there is so much ahead of you. Monmouth offers hundreds of opportunities to experience new things, meet new people, and find out what you love in life. Do not worry if you have not yet chosen a major or a career path. Experiment with your classes.
Have a class or a professor that you really love? Take more of them. You might not find out what you want to do right away, but you will slowly figure out what you do not want to do. Not everyone is meant to sit in a cubicle in front of a computer all day long.
Upperclassmen, you are on your way to finding your path in life. You might have some things figured out. You might have nothing figured out. That is okay. Either way, you are making progress. Keep going.
Seniors, we are almost there. It is almost time for us to go out into the real world. Wow. If you are still not sure where the future will take you, that is alright. I am not quite sure yet either. This might be our final year and time is going fast, but there is still plenty for us to do and experience.
Join a new club or organization. Participate in intramural sports. Find a new hobby that you can hold onto for life. Monmouth has given us so much already, but there is always more.
When I first visited Monmouth University, it was during the summer months on my way home from playing in a tennis tournament. I had heard about Monmouth but was not sure that I wanted to attend. Then I saw the campus.
The grass and flowers were immaculate, even during the summer. I thought to myself that if the university invested this much in their landscaping when few individuals are on campus, then they must really care about their school, and I could only imagine how that care translated to their faculty, staff, and student body. So, after visiting I contacted the Women’s Tennis Coach and was hooked from there.
Now in my senior year, I can back up my hypothesis with hard facts. Monmouth University, its faculty and staff, truly do care about their students. There are professors and administrators that have guided me through rough patches and have supported me in my endeavors. It is also when a professor asks a simple question like “ How are your other classes going?” It shows that they care about the students more than just being another body in the classroom.
I was first introduced to The Outlook by the Peer Learning Assistant (PLA), Lauren Niesz, in my freshman seminar. At the time, she was the Opinion Editor. I was hesitant to join the paper my first semester. I swung by the office one Monday night during their editorial meeting time, but when I saw people I got scared.
I ended up not joining the paper until the following semester. The next year, I had an editorial position. Spring of my junior year, I took over as Editor-in-Chief, a position that I had always told myself that I didn’t want. But one night when I was lying awake in bed I started thinking about the role of Editor-in-Chief.
As an athlete, I have always kept myself busy with various practices. But I was never too busy. My life was always best when I had a lot on my plate. That night, I realized that I wanted to challenge myself with the role as Editor-in-Chief for The Outlook.
So, to all of the freshman out there: get involved, do not be scared, and do not be afraid to have a lot on your plate. You often have more free time than you think. To the returning students, faculty, and staff: you made it through another year. Keep going. Good luck to everyone this school year!