We are approaching May and nearing the end of the school year, which means Summer! This was my Freshmen year at Saint Xavier University and I had no idea what to expect from my first year of college. I think now is as good a time as any to reflect on my rookie year as a SXU student and Xavierite journalist.
Your group of friends may change during your first year. The group I am currently spending the most time with is different from those I hung out with at the beginning of the year. I still spend time with those people I met during my first semester but just not as often. This is completely fine, however! You are going to bounce between groups trying to find your niche, but once you do this doesn’t mean you should stop talking to your other friends you’ve connected with.
Your writing will get better. For all of you aspiring journalists and writers who aren’t confident in your abilities, I only have one thing to say to you: Start writing and don’t stop. Over time your writing will get better and you may not even notice your improvement. Writing papers for class or articles for the school newspaper might be hard at first, but once you get going it will only get easier.
You may struggle with story ideas. I sure did when I first joined the newspaper. Heck, I even struggled coming up with a story for this week. When you start writing, however, the ideas will start flowing.
You are going to get stressed, but that doesn’t mean you should face it alone. There is significantly more work in college than high school which means more time dedicated to homework and projects. This could lead to stress, lack of sleep and fatigue. Just thinking about projects and exams does all of these to me. Luckily, Saint Xavier hosts stress-relief events on campus.
Enjoy the little things. Enjoying the little things goes a long way in college. Relish the time you spend with your friends. Enjoy that lunch break in between your classes. Relax with a daily walk around campus. Take some time for yourself occasionally. The simplest things can make you feel a lot better.
It’s okay if you haven’t declared a major yet. Now this doesn’t really apply to me since I somewhat had a plan before starting college. However, I had friends who were undecided and it really bothered them. Many Freshmen are undeclared when they start college, but that’s okay because you now have this time to learn what interests you and which field you may want to pursue.
Overall, my first year at Saint Xavier and the Xavierite was a hectic, but exciting ride. I’ve met some amazing people, learned valuable lessons and gained experiences that will stay with me for a very long time. While a summer break is always nice, I cannot wait to see where my second year takes me.
Caesar Torres
Features Editor