Meriam Ahmad
Seniors at Penn State Abington find themselves at a crossroads as their time in college comes to an end, balancing on the verge of a world that full of both opportunity and uncertainties. They have spent four years navigating the confusing labyrinth of lectures, tests, and campus life, making them seasoned veterans of academia. But even as they get ready to move on to the next stage of their lives, these graduating seniors can’t help but think about their first year in college, when the college experience was still an unfamiliar setting full of promise, and boundless potential.
In order to help incoming college freshmen embark on their own journeys, we asked two graduating seniors for their reflections on what they would do differently as first-year students. Their experiences and wisdom can serve as a guiding light for those stepping into the exciting world of higher education.
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Wijdan Nigrou, a Life Science major with a minor in Communication and Science, reflects the contemplative nature commonly associated with the senior year. As she nears the end of her undergraduate journey, she offers valuable insights for incoming first-years to consider in order to enhance their own college experiences. She looks back on her first year and shares, “In retrospect, I could have benefited from exploring the wide array of medical career paths available and gaining a deeper understanding of the potential within my major.” Her words carry an air of contemplation and self-awareness. Expanding on this, she adds, “If I had taken these steps earlier, I might have chosen a different academic direction, such as nursing, rather than blindly pursuing a life science major. My initial decision was influenced by the societal expectation that becoming a doctor was the sole respectable career path.”
Wijdan’s journey offers a valuable lesson for incoming first-years. It highlights the importance of researching and investigating various academic and career avenues during their early years in college. By doing so, students can make more informed choices, aligning their educational path with their true passions and goals. This proactive approach can lead to a more fulfilling and purposeful undergraduate experience.
Mecca Castillo, a senior majoring in Political Science and Sociology, adds her own perspective. At 20 years old, she wishes she had taken a different path during her freshman year, one that involved greater engagement in clubs, events, and fairs on campus. Her words are laced with a sense of missed opportunities, as she conveys, “Because I feel like I’m playing catch-up while taking 400-level courses.” Her sentiments reflect the hindsight of missed opportunities, highlighting how more active involvement during her first year could have potentially alleviated the anxiety she presently faces in her senior year. She says, “It would greatly reduce my anxiety, in my senior year.”
For incoming first-years, Mecca’s experiences serve as a valuable lesson. They highlight the importance of getting involved in campus activities, joining clubs, and attending events right from the start. This not only enriches the college experience but also helps build a strong foundation for academic success in the later years. Mecca’s journey is a testament to the notion that active engagement in campus life can lead to a more fulfilling and successful college experience.
These opinions are a reflection of a larger trend among Penn State Abington senior students who are left with a poignant thought as they get ready to put on their graduation caps and enter the real world: “What if I could redo my first year?”
The college experience has undergone a significant transformation in recent years as a result of evolving societal norms, technology advancements, and economic changes. Students now must navigate an intricate web of choices, challenges, and possibilities that can frequently feel overwhelming. The remarks of Wijdan and Mecca provide a glimpse into this change, acting as both cautionary stories and rays of hope for the incoming students.
It’s critical to consider how colleges and universities might better serve their students in this era of higher education, where the pursuit of knowledge crosses with the desire of personal growth and self-discovery. The experiences of these seniors offer priceless insights into how the college experience may be reinvented to empower incoming first-years and put them on a road to make wise choices and take advantage of chances for personal and academic growth from the very beginning.
Great advice!