COLUMN: Dear freshmen, if you’re considering it, do it.
Dear freshmen, if you’re considering it, do it.
As a community college transfer student, I didn’t get the “college freshman experience.” At 18 I was living at home, going to school and working a service job. I don’t regret my decision to stay home, but when I finally got to CMU, I didn’t expect the anxiety and fear that came with feeling like I was behind everyone else.
When I signed my journalism major, I knew I wanted to work for Central Michigan Life. Whenever I considered walking into the office and grabbing an application though, my anxiety took over.
I excused it by saying I was too busy and overwhelmed, that I would apply next semester. It wasn’t until Fall of 2020 that I realized I only had three semesters left at CMU. I knew that if I graduated without joining CM Life, I would regret it. So I pushed past my fear and dropped off an application.
I have never regretted my decision to join the CM Life staff. Now, going into my last semester at CMU, I regret that I let my fear hold me back for so long.
When I look back to before I joined CM Life, I realize that I was a very different person. I am more confident, less anxious, and I feel a lot more prepared to join the post-grad world in December. I’m happy that I got any time at CM Life, I’m also sad that I didn’t get more.
Don’t make the same mistakes.
Being a new student at CMU, whether you’re a freshman or a transfer, is overwhelming. Sometimes it feels like college will never end. So, it’s easy to say “I’ll do it next year.” What I realized is that every semester is busy and overwhelming so it's easier to avoid more commitments by pushing them back and saying “later.”
My advice is to trust that you can handle a lot more than you give yourself credit for. If you’re thinking about joining a registered student organization, Greek life, studying abroad or anything else that may add to your busy schedule, do it.
When you graduate, you’ll be grateful you had four or five years to enjoy it. You’ll be grateful for the connections you make and the skills you gain.
