Dear Freshman
Hey there, Guess what? You just started the best 4 years of your life. It may not seem like it right now, but believe me, you did.It’s true, the first few weeks can be tough. You are still homesick while getting adjusted to living in a 10x12 space with a complete stranger and having a communal bathroom that you share with an entire floor of strangers... and don't even get me started on the Tully. Although it is stressful and a whirlwind of emotions, you get through it. Believe me.
ROOMMATE: Now on the topic of roommates, most freshman roommate stories are indeed horror stories. I know maybe two people who were actually friends with their freshman year roommate, and I know a lot of people at this school. Your roommate doesn’t need to be your best friend or your friend in general, all that matters is that you both respect each other and can live together in peace. If things aren’t going great and you feel like your roommate isn’t respecting your wishes, don't be afraid to speak up and ask them again (nicely of course) to respect your boundaries.
FRIENDS: So, your roommate might not be your best friend and the group of people you meet the first week or even the first month might not be your best friends either... STORYTIME: It took me until October of my freshman year to find my best friend and roommate and then December to find my friend group and other roommates. It is now September of my Junior year and I am still making friends! Be open to everyone you meet even if you think they may seem “weird” or “quirky” or “bitchy” or “rude” everyone is just trying to find friends and you never know who you could meet if you go in with an open heart and mind! Storytime part 2: I thought this one girl was the biggest bitch until I got to know her and now she's one of my best friends. Getting involved also helps you meet new people that are interested in the same things as you. College isn't high school, you aren’t bound to one group of friends. Having multiple friend groups is amazing in college. College is your time to meet new people who will become lifelong friends, so don't be shy, branch out, and you won’t be disappointed.
SCHOOL: As a Junior, I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up. Don’t feel stressed about deciding a major or minor right now. You are a freshman–you don’t have to decide until next year! Take this first year to meet with professors and take classes you think you might be interested in to help you figure out the right major for you. If you are worried or stressed about classes, don’t be. As long as you do your work, show up to class, and study, you will be fine. Now some of you might be curious as to what finals week is and if it's really what the internet makes it out to be. Yes, those memes are a reality: there are kids having mental breakdowns in the library and falling asleep on each other. Finals week definitely makes college campuses look like circuses. The reality of finals week is you most likely have an exam for each of your classes with a semester's worth of lesson crammed onto it, but don’t worry, we all survive them. Fairfield offers a variety of things to help us destress and cope with finals week. Fairfield is one of the schools that offers therapy animals such as dogs, goats, bunnies, and pigs to help students de-stress. We also have yoga and meditation in the library. Finals week may be hell, but you will survive I promise, I have survived four so far.
UPPERCLASSMEN: We may seem scary, but I promise we aren’t. Personally, I love freshman and I’m jealous of you. I’d do anything to go back to freshman year! Now yes, you will come across the occasional bitchy upperclassmen girl who kicks you out of her house or the hormonal boy who also kicks you off his porch, but there is most likely a house right next door that will welcome you with open arms. And if we do kick you out it is most likely because we don’t want to get written up or worst have DPS come to our house so don’t take it personally. We were all once in your shoes, little freshman just trying to find a party and have fun, so if an upperclassman is mean to you, brush it off and find another place to have fun! I promise we are nice...most of the time ;)
FUN:Although Fairfield may seem small, it is by far one of the most fun schools. I have friends who go to the University of South Carolina, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, and the University of Delaware who have visited and still talk about how much they loved visiting Fairfield and how fun it was. We may not have big football tailgates, but we have beach darties, like come onnnn a party on the beach, um yes, please. Don’t be afraid to go to the point and have yourself a day. The beach isn’t your only option for parties. Juniors always throw parties or pre-games in the townhouses, so keep your eye for them, they’re a great time. Outside of partying, Fairfield offers so many other fun options around campus such as clubs (The Point, duh), club sports, varsity athletic games, trips into the city and local theatres, and so much more.
It is true, time flies by when you’re having fun: I blinked and I was a junior. Take in every moment and enjoy every second of these next four years, because I promise you, they are going to be the best years of your life.
Xoxo, Kelsey O’Neill