My First Year Experience: A Student’s Journey
- Sam
- Oct 28, 2024
- 3 min read
The views in this article are my own and don’t reflect those of Daddycampus. This post is written by a guest student writer.
Hi, I’m Sam! I’m a freshman at Maplewood University, and I’d like to share my story of starting college, particularly about a program that really helped me settle in here: the First Year Experience Program (FYE). If you’re nervous about college life like I was, maybe my story will give you a little more confidence.
Before classes even started, I received an email about an orientation week that was part of the FYE program. I thought it would be a bit of a chore – maybe some long talks or random group activities. But I figured I should go. Everyone kept saying it was the best way to meet people and start off right.
Day one came, and I felt a mix of excitement and nerves. The first event was a welcome session in the campus auditorium, and there were so many students there that I felt a bit like a small fish in a huge ocean. But when I looked around, I saw a lot of other freshmen who looked just as lost as me, which made me feel a bit better.
One of the first things they did was divide us into smaller groups led by student mentors. My mentor, Alex, was a junior who knew the campus inside out. Right away, he made us feel comfortable, cracking jokes and talking about how he was just as nervous his first year. It felt good to hear that even someone like him had struggled to find his way at first.
Through the FYE program, we had activities and workshops planned throughout the week. One day, we had a campus scavenger hunt, and while I’m usually not big on games, it was actually a lot of fun! We had to find spots on campus, like the library, the student center, and even the best coffee shop. Running around with my group, laughing and working together, made it easy to forget that I had only known these people for a couple of days.
Another big highlight was the wellness workshop. I thought it would just be about study habits, but it went deeper. They talked about balancing mental health with school, how to deal with homesickness, and even how to eat healthy in the dining halls. It felt reassuring to know the university cared about our well-being, not just our grades.
By the end of the week, my group had grown really close. We had shared stories about where we were from, what we wanted to study, and even our worries about college. Some of us had big dreams of becoming doctors, engineers, and artists, while others were still figuring it out. Knowing I wasn’t the only one who didn’t have everything figured out was a relief.
Now, a few months into the semester, I can see how that first week changed everything for me. I walk around campus and see familiar faces, people I met through FYE, and it makes me feel like I belong here. I even joined a club that Alex, my mentor, recommended – it’s been a great way to keep building friendships.
If you’re reading this as an incoming freshman or just feeling nervous about starting college, I’d say give those first-year programs a shot. They’re not just there to fill your schedule; they’re designed to make this big, new place feel a little bit smaller and more like home. I know it helped me, and maybe it’ll help you too.