The Spectrum

Issue date: 9/15/05 Section: Features

Media Credit: The Spectrum /ELYSE HARRELL Freshmen walk to and from classes in front of Seton and Merton Halls.

All over the U.S. the high school graduates of 2005 are embracing a new world of opportunities that await them at their very own college or university. Coping with the transition from living at home and having much more structure, to now having their own freedom in an unfamiliar place, is a life altering change in any young adult's life. The new freshmen are thrown into a mix of upperclassmen and busy hallways. Here at SHU we look to make a warm and encouraging community for each individual.

Dorm life as a freshman has its pros and cons. Having curfew all over again, not being able to have a car, sharing a bathroom with several other students and not having their own bedroom is a new way of living for many.

"The bathroom gets gross and it is a major problem trying to get in the shower sometimes. The comforts of your own bathroom and shower are unfortunately left back at home," said freshman, Brooke Esposito, Mahopac, NY.

Many of us can remember the challenges of living in freshmen dorms and from experience we can share the lack of enthusiasm that students have for the bathrooms.

From 12:00 A.M. Monday through Thursday and 1:00 A.M. Friday and Saturday nights freshmen are expected to obeyed by the dorm visitation hours. Some freshmen have problems with the rule but others do not really mind it.

"I had a curfew for people to be out of my house when I was home. So the rule doesn't really matter to me," freshman, Jillian Koster, Hackensack, NJ.

Both of these opinions are commonly shared throughout the freshmen class. But in the haste to hate the school rule, some students realize that the hours are set to help the welfare of all the students living in the freshmen dorms.

Time management is also a problem for many freshmen. Balancing classes, homework, clubs, activities, sports teams and any other involvement that the student may have, becomes overwhelming and sometimes the largest reason for stress.

"Being a cheerleader it gets hard to do my work and hang out with friend because I have practice a lot of the time," said Brooke Esposito.

Sports teams and practices take up an immense amount of time, and make it difficult to find time to study. This is why most teams have study hours set for them by their coaches. The coaches make sure that they have ample time to take care of their studies.

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