First Year, Good Times: The Freshman Perspective

Freshman year of college is filled with new experiences, fun times and a lot of laughter. It can also come with a lot of emotional drama and stress from all the newly found independence. Every first-year student has their take on it, but generally, a freshman’s college experience is determined by what type of person they are, and by the people they surround themselves with. 

Taylor Johnson is a freshman here at UWG, and at the beginning of the semester, she said that her first month of college was “Alright, but I was homesick a lot.” 

Johnson’s emotions toward her first-month experience changed dramatically over the semester. 

 “After the first month, I started to meet new people and came out of my shell a little,” said Johnson. “I became less homesick and really started to enjoy UWG.” 

The new friendships that she gained at UWG allowed her to have fun and find comfort in a new environment. 

Analise Gilbert is a freshman at UWG, and she joined the sorority Alpha Xi Delta at the beginning of the semester. Gilbert believes that her sorority has been very influential and helpful these past few months.  

“Alpha Xi Delta has given me so many opportunities that I didn’t expect,” said Gilbert. “I love all my Alpha Xi Delta girls, and we’ll be sisters for life!” 

For some first-year students, this first semester of college has been challenging. 

“This semester was really hard for me. It was hard for me to stay focused and prioritize my schoolwork over hanging out with my friends,” said James Nicholas, Freshman at UWG. 

Nicholas plans to do better next semester and focus on his schoolwork more while maintaining his friendships. 

“I had to get a job this semester, and it was very difficult to manage my time between having my job, hanging out with friends, and doing my schoolwork,” said Jordan Baldwin, Freshman at UWG. 

Balancing their personal lives and their schoolwork was not the only thing some of the freshmen had issues with.  

“The police presence on campus was irritating,” said Baldwin. “I know they are here to protect us, but it gets annoying when they keep pulling me over for meaningless tickets.” 

Some of the freshmen believed that the police presence on campus was over the top. 

“I feel like the police are against the students having a good time on and around campus,” said Tehya Allen, Freshman at UWG. “Especially around homecoming, it just seemed like they were pulling people over for fun.” 

All in all, the freshman’s perspective on their first semester had some pros and some cons. They are all excited about this new and exciting chapter in their lives.