My Freshman Experience and What I Learned From It
As high school seniors are starting to make their transition into the freshmen class of 2024, I thought I’d reflect back on some of my experiences this year as a new freshman at UW.
New School Who Dis
Transitioning into a new school is always tough, yet it’s so exciting at the same time. There’s so much to learn with navigating new classes and meeting new people. Despite approximately 80 other students from my high school class coming into UW, I still felt anxious about finding my community at a new school. Knowing that I would be commuting to the UW campus this year, I was worried that I would ‘miss out’ on the true “freshman experience.” I wouldn’t be able to have dorm roommates or get late night boba with friends on the Ave. The idea of in some way being separated from UW by a bus ride terrified me.
Along with making new friends, I was definitely worried about staying on top of my academics. I entered UW with running start credits that put me into some upper-division classes. Making that leap of transitioning from high school to upper-division university classes was unsettling. I wasn’t sure how I was going to tackle the whole learning curve. Plus, taking classes with upperclassmen seemed so scary!
Wait… How Do I Study?
As I began moving along in my classes during fall quarter, I quickly realized that indeed… college classes are HARD. I noticed that the workload of my classes definitely did not compare to my high school or running start classes. Despite attempting to put in the work, for some reason I felt that I was always falling behind. How was it that everyone in my classes seemed to be doing so well and I wasn’t. Well, after almost 3 quarters at UW I can confidently say I know the secret sauce to studying (haha, jk- I’m still learning too). Although I may not be an expert, here are some things I learned along the way and tips to help you feel (hopefully) better about staying on top of school, whether you’re an incoming freshman or a senior:
Review your notes after class! Man, I don’t know why I had to wait a whole quarter to figure this out, but this was so helpful. If you’re like me, you forget just about half the things your professor taught you after the lecture. Sometimes, I just feel like I am so busy trying to scribble down everything that’s on the board that I don’t actually get to process what’s going on. So once I actually started just taking 15-20 minutes of my time to review my lecture notes a few hours or even the next day after class, things started to make a lot more sense (go figure, right?) And from there, I was able to retain everything much better so I didn’t have to cram as much for midterms and finals.
Make a checklist ✔️I actually learned this from our A2F Thanksgiving Retreat from some of our mentors during a productivity workshop. Start by writing down literally ALL the things you need to do on a notepad (or phone, etc.). Then start tackling the things that will be easiest/quickest to get done. I also like to put deadlines next to each task so that I can set goals for when to get things done. It’s so nice to have everything laid out in front of you and not just swirling around in your brain. Plus, it feels good to check things off.
Go to office-hours I’ve heard this so many times before, but I didn’t realize how much I needed this until I really got into my classes. If you don’t understand a concept or need more practice, go pay your professors a visit. They’ll help you break things down and be patient with you in a less overwhelming setting. Better earlier than when you’re struggling in week 8 of the quarter.
Learning to Put Yourself Out There
When it comes to finding community, I’ve learned that you just need to put yourself out there and start somewhere. I know that it can be scary to show up to events on your own and without knowing anyone, but trust me, it’s a really good way to find your crew. Over the course of my freshman year, I learned to take risks by showing up to club events and trying new things. I never would have thought that plugging myself into campus events would help me really feel connected to other students at UW. I remember feeling pretty nervous when I showed up to my first A2F event during Dawg Daze. I didn’t know anyone there. But after eating some kbbq and talking to some mentors that night, my heart and stomach felt SO FULL :). Showing up to that first A2F event was one of the very best things I did at UW this year, because it allowed me to find a community that felt like family, even as a commuter. So add those campus/club events to your calendar and come out! It’s so worth it.
I’m still learning new things along the way as I continue to close out my first year at UW. Although there was so much uncertainty and anxiousness as I entered freshman year, I’m grateful for the experiences that shaped me to grow into the person (aka a much-wiser-than-fall-quarter-freshman) I am now!