Entering Monmouth as a freshman, I really thought I had everything figured out, as I’m sure everyone does. I thought college would just be a natural transition from high school and that as long as I worked hard, everything would fall into place. As a sophomore now, about to go into junior year already, there are so many things I wish I had known before my freshman year.
Primarily, I learned that your professors can completely shape your experience, good and bad. As a freshman, your academic advisor usually builds your schedule. This is helpful at first, since you’re not used to the website and how to create your schedule, but it can actually be more harmful if you’re put in a difficult class. It can also mean you end up going with really difficult professors. I was in some classes where I genuinely felt like I was in the wrong major because the professors made the material feel impossible. It was very discouraging and honestly made me question myself more than I should have, which I regret.
However, a few months later in my spring semester, I had completely different professors who were extremely helpful. They were more supportive, clear, and honestly, everything changed for me. I felt more settled in with my major, comfortable in my classes, and finally motivated again. In high school. I had really good grades and always did well in class. With this new experience, I actually started to do much better, just like I was doing in high school. Although this might be a little bit controversial, a suggestion I have for incoming freshmen is to check the app called RateMyProfessor. It gives you a rating based on people who have taken their class before as well as some comments. Sometimes it is used just for students to vent, and it might not be accurate to a teacher, but it’s also nice to gain some more perspectives of students who have just completed their class to get more recent feedback. Additionally, you could ask an upperclassman for advice when you can, because the right professor makes all the difference.
Another thing I wish I had taken more seriously right away is office hours. For example, if you were a freshman taking lab classes, that is a huge adjustment from high school. The workload is heavier, grading is stricter, and your entire grade often depends on reports. One or two mistakes can seriously impact your grade, which can be overwhelming when you are still figuring everything out. That is why going to the office hours early, not just when you are struggling, helps so much. If you wait until you are behind, you might be too late to understand all the material and stay up to date. Office hours made such a big difference for me because not only did I get to know my professor better, which is important if you ever need a recommendation later, but it also helps you understand exactly what they expect. They will guide you in the right direction and help you prepare better for quizzes, reports, and exams. It’s an underrated opportunity that students really need to take advantage of in college.
When it comes to scheduling, I used to think taking the minimum number of credits was the safest and least stressful option. I didn’t want to overwhelm myself because obviously you need to give yourself some breaks sometimes, but now I realize that it can actually also hold you back. Although it’s important not to overload yourself with classes, especially when you’re taking a heavier course load, it’s important to know that it can save you from needing summer classes later on to catch up on credit requirements. Two reasons this important involves clubs and other classes. When you would like to apply for a leadership position in clubs, sometimes a certain position requires a specific number of credits completed. Similarly, some classes aren’t available until you take a certain number of credits. This is one of those situations where being uncomfortable for a short period of time can really benefit you in the long run.
A small but incredibly important thing to mention is actually using your syllabus. As a freshman, having a syllabus was new to me, and it can be confusing and very long to read. I didn’t fully understand yet how useful it was, but now every time I enter an upcoming semester, before classes start, I look to see which professors uploaded their syllabus, and I download them and read it through. Then, I highlight every major assignment and due date and put them in my calendar right away for every class. Personally, I think the phone calendar is more useful because I know I am more likely to check my phone than a planner, and it makes everything feel less overwhelming because you always know what’s coming.
Monmouth is not a huge party school, so it can be hard to make friends. A good amount of the student population either commute or go home on weekends, so for Monmouth, it is what you make of it. You really have to put yourself out there, and to do this, joining clubs is one of the best things you can do. I recommend having at least one club related to your career goals and one that is just for fun. This way you have a better idea of the field you’re in, but you also have a space to just relax and have fun away from school. Not only do clubs help you meet people, but they also give you opportunities to grow into leadership roles later on, which is also extremely beneficial.
A thing that can be, unfortunately, upsetting is how quickly friendships can change. Naturally, your first friends at college will most likely be your roommate or people you met during orientation, and while those friends can be great, they don’t always last. Keep in mind, it’s no one’s fault. Over the course of your years at Monmouth, people move or transfer, and it’s easy to drift apart. That’s completely normal. What I’ve learned is that the friendships that tend to last are the ones you build in classes or clubs over time.
Ultimately, if I could go back and tell my freshman self anything, it would be this: don’t let one bad experience define your entire college journey like Rory Gilmore (if you know you know). Many things change as you go through your college career, it’s just a part of life. Opportunities change, you grow as a person, and I promise you will figure it out as you go. So don’t worry, everything will turn out fine. Honestly, that is what college is really about.
