Freshman Friendships Can Be Fast or Forever

Afure Adah

by AFURE ADAH, CSU PR Student Assistant

Freshman year feels like so long ago. I am a totally different person now going into my senior year. Still, I remember some of those early days so I thought I would share some tips and recollections as you step onto campus as new Mavericks.

Being on the Track Team

Being a college athlete, my college experience might be relatable to some, and totally different to others. For instance, I have an older sister and her worries going into college were,

  • Making friends
  • The freshman 15
  • Staying on task with studies

I, however, felt safe in all these areas. I knew I’d have teammates I would be around every day so it wouldn’t be too hard to make friends. I’d have practice, so I’d have to work out to stay fit every day. And, as a freshman athlete, study hall is mandatory.

One thing I found helpful as a freshman: I was required to take the First Year Experience class. All athletes have to take that class, but I’d encourage you to take it. That class lots of useful information that helped me to get better integrated to college life.

Here are other thoughts from my “first year experience”:

Friendships

Freshman year is so new and there is so much going on in school and socially. Friendships will come and go. It happens kind of fast the first year.

You may find that if you don’t talk to someone for two weeks, that friendship is basically over and you are now just acquaintances again.  Not to worry though, there are so many more years and experiences you will go through, that you just have to be okay with adapting to that. You have to let some friends go, and be open to making new ones.

I have my two main best friends, but I have been in about two different friend groups in the past three years. And I have loved my time in each of them. It happens!

My Freshman Year Favorites

My favorite part about being a freshman was being able to sit and catch up with all my friends in the cafeteria. I mean, let’s be honest, that is basically what our group chat was made for. Some of them went something like this:

“Anyone wanna go to the caf with me?”

“We are going to the caf in 5 if anyone wants to come”

“wya?” –

–“we all in the caf, wya??”

I also loved my dorming experience. My coach chose my roommate who is one of my teammates and now my best friend. We get along really well and have the perfect amount of similarities and differences that just make us work!

My dorm was Crawford, so I was attached to McElroy and Preska, and it was nice to be able to walk inside to my other friend’s dorm rooms in shorts any time of year!

Choosing a Major

As a freshman I kind of had an idea of what I wanted to study, but I decided to study what my parents thought was a better fit for me. This past school year, I switched to the major I always wanted to study. I honestly feel a little bit rushed and I have to take a lot of summer classes to catch up.

It’s okay if, as a freshman, you are unsure of what you want to do. When you figure it out, definitely make sure it is what YOU want to study. I believe it’s always best to follow your passion.

 

 

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