High school students are bombarded with images of the fun-filled life that awaits them at college; however, there exists a discrepancy between movies like “Animal House” and the reality of what it means to start fresh at a new school. Around this time of year, freshmen face this painful realization.
Although beginning at a university can offer the chance to be a new person, it requires a sense of confidence to put oneself out there for feedback from peers.
Most people leave high school with the foundation of four or more years of friendship, but the fresh start of college includes establishing and building an entirely new base of friendship.
This transitional period can be lonely and quite unlike the “party-all-the-time” atmosphere the movies portray.
“They make it seem like you go to class once a week and spend the rest of your time at huge parties,” said freshman Ryan Reed.
It is important for freshmen to know that this phase of uncertainty does end, and that A & M Commerce offers resources for all students ready to talk about their issues.
The second floor of the Halladay Student Services building houses the Counseling Center for students. The facility has trained professionals who are available by appointment five days a week. Last year the counselors saw 243 different clients.
The campus Relaxation Room requires no advance appointment, nor do students have to be clients of the Counseling Center to enjoy the two free massage chairs for up to twenty minutes at a time. The misconception among many freshmen students is that these counselors are there to talk about your schedule and offer academic advising as high school counselors, but in actuality they share their insight on emotional health.
“The Counseling Center is a resource for students trying to deal and cope with the stress of college, especially in the first year,” said Marty Jacobs, a counselor at the center.
The counselors can also offer advice on ways to change your thinking, how to pump yourself up, breathing techniques and other ways to reduce the pressure that comes with college life. Jacobs has suggestions for both freshman and transfer students who feel that meeting new people can be a daunting task.
“Meet one person at a time. Try to get involved with a social group or get to know some of the people on your floor,” Jacobs said.
She also recommends looking at the campus activities website or finding a friendly face in a classroom. Asking a fellow student a simple question about an assignment can be enough to spark a friendship, however the key to making lasting friendships is moderation.
Collin Murphy, a sophomore music education major, knows that he spread himself too thin his first semester, and it actually hindered his chances at making solid friendships.
By taking 21 hours, marching band, jazz band, private lessons, baseball, and rushing, he was around many people but had no time outside of practices and meetings to make deeper connections with friends. His advice is for the over-achieving freshman.
“Wait until you’re established on campus to rush. Don’t count on fraternities to assign you friends; make your own friends,” said Murphy.
Some students support the idea of learning communities in the residence halls where similar majors would be housed together. Texas Tech University, for example, has an optional housing system that includes a fine arts learning community, business intensive community and an engineering community.
A&M-Commerce houses its Honors College students at Prairie Crossing, but not all agree that this safety net of living with people you have classes with is the only solution.
“In college you’re supposed to learn a lot about life, and it’s supposed to put you out of your comfort zone,” said Reed.
Adapting to college life and making new friends can be a challenge, but Reed feels whatever attitude you have going into the new situation can mean the difference between developing a mild case of freshman depression or developing lifelong relationships.
Several free screenings are available each year from the Counseling Center. The week of Oct. 10, the center will be sponsoring depression screenings.