Survivor: Freshman Year Month One

I have successfully survived my first month of college! I can’t believe it at all, time went by so fast! I have been adjusting to my class schedule pretty well and homework is easier when I space it out and allow myself to have enough time to do homework before too much piles up. I have found college to be easier for me to get my homework done because I do my homework for my two or three classes so it’s out of the way. My only issue is staying focused because I get distracted by everyone easily, but I’m trying to get homework done before I hang out with my friends. I have a few exams coming up in the next two weeks, and I’m nervous, but I know I just have to sit down and study and I’ll do fine. Even better than the academic aspect of my first month is the social part!

Over the last month I have been forming bonds with the people that I have classes with and the people that live in my building. My roommate and myself have become closer not only with each other, but with six other girls that live on our floor (one of which I went to high school with) and we have a lot of fun together, even just by going to dinner and having funny conversations. I love that we can be funny together; just like I am with my friends from home… it makes me feel more comfortable here. My hall in Hampden is the only floor of girls, and we get along really well. I feel like we’re a small community which is what I was hoping to find when I moved here. Everyone is really friendly and we laugh together about silly things.

After the activities fair I also joined the psychology club since my major is psychology and it will help me further my understanding of the subject. I also joined the dance team since I’ve been dancing since I was three. It’s been about two weeks since I joined and I already feel like we’re a small family, and I had never been on a team before coming to WNE, so it’s a really good feeling. I’m looking forward to performing at Friends and Family weekend in October, and I hope to see everyone there!

I can’t believe a month has already gone by already! I’ve been having so much fun here and I can’t wait to see how everything goes over the next month!

Erica

Month 1...DONE

It is hard to believe that the first month of my sophomore year at Western New England University is already over. It is hard to believe that a month ago, I was helping Freshman move into their new home for the next four years. Now, those advisees that did not know what to do are more comfortable in their new environment, and it is great knowing that I helped. I have been working here on campus, both inside and outside of the classroom. My classes are going great and I have also had the opportunity to work with the Athletic Department as a Public Address announcer for many of the home soccer games during the fall. I have also attended many different programs that have been put on by students here on campus. Some events include Back-to-School BINGO, Casino Night, Homecoming, and even went to Fenway Park to meet Theo Epstein as part of the Boston Red Sox “Road to the Show” program. There are even more events already being planned for next month, and I am excited to see what will happen. If you are interested in following what some clubs are doing on campus and you have twitter, follow them at @WNE_Activites @wneRHA @wneSenate and @WNE_CAB. Each of these clubs update their accounts so everyone on campus knows what is going on.

Check back to see how things are going,
-Jason

P.S. you can also follow me on Twitter at @jasont1118

Plethora of Resources at WNE

Summer is definitely over and we’ve been back at Western New England University for about a month. I hope all the freshmen this year are getting acclimated to college and that the high school seniors are doing some extensive college research. Just some advice that got me through my first year as a transfer student: use your resources. The first one (and my personal favorite) is the D’Amour Library. It has four floors, each equipped with computer and secluded study areas. It is open all day and night so you can study anytime. These long hours are extremely beneficial in times when the work piles up. For example, I had a huge paper due and a finance test to study for all on the same day. The library was a great place for me to get work done on my schedule.

Another good resource is utilizing your Faculty Advisor. Your Advisor is a very key resource in making sure you are on track with your classes including organizing your schedule for all four years. If you have any questions regarding academics at WNE, Faculty Advisors are always there for you. It is also a good idea to join clubs that directly correlate to your major. For instance, I am a Sport Management major, so I am in the Sport Management Association. It is a great way to network, get internships, and go on exclusive trips like Red Sox games and Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame. Now you know some great resources to tap into while at Western New England!

Jay.Thall

Update on my Senior Year

Hey Everyone,

So a lot of interesting things have been going on in my life since I last blogged and I can’t believe it has already been a month into my senior year. So far classes are going ok. They are a lot of work, but most of my classes are geared towards Sport Management so I am learning lots about my major. Some new updates: last week I was nominated to become Vice President of the student senate which is a huge honor for me because it is a position that I have wanted ever since I joined Senate way back in my freshmen year. Also, I applied for and received the position of Events chairperson for Midnight Madness which is one of my favorites that our university puts on each year. Midnight Madness is a battle of the classes and a pep rally for winter sports not that I have any rooting interest because I am running all the events like dodgeball and Tug-o-War, but the senior class will hopefully win this year for the second time.

Other than that, this upcoming weekend is homecoming so I am looking forward to seeing all of the alumni that will be coming back that I have not seen in many years. Also next week are Student Senate elections and on Saturday the new and old senators will be traveling to Springfield College for day of bonding. Finally, the last thing I have to say is that next week is open house and I will be working it so hopefully I will be seeing you all there if not enjoy your senior year and I will update you on my crazy life in a few short weeks.

Will

My First College Exams

Classes in college aren’t like high school at all but definitely in a positive way. They meet less often and there is always a specific agenda unlike some times in high school when teachers would make you do busy work just because they had to fill in the 45 minutes every single day. There are less quizzes and tests which allow more time for studying but that also means the studying has to count because the tests are worth more. I had my first two exams today for mathematical reasoning and American government this week and I was beyond nervous. Math is NOT my strong point at all; I am a Communications major, hello! So I went over all of my homework assignments and went to the review session and prepared the best I thought I could and when I walked into the exam room and saw the test I knew how to do every question, which has never happened to me before ever on a math test. So my hours spent on the homework and study actually paid off!

My government exam also went smoother than I had anticipated. I love government and politics, I’m actually thinking of minoring in political science but that’s for another blog. So to prepare for my government exam I re-read all of the required readings (which are so crucial to keep up with otherwise you’ll end up having to read 100 pages in one night) and made flashcards from my notes and studied well into the night. The following morning was one where you just want to sleep forever especially since I was dreading this test, but when I walked in and saw the test I was relieved I again knew how to answer every question. Of course I would not have been able to take my exams so easily if I didn’t put the study time and effort into it, but hopefully when I get my grades back the time would have paid off. So moral of the story is even though everyone hates studying and taking exams the outcome of a good test grade is so rewarding. Make sure to check in next week to see if my exams went as well as I thought they did.

Happy Fall Everyone!

-Liz J

My First Full Month at WNE!

These few weeks of college have absolutely flown by! Admittedly, as I sit here writing on this homework-packed Thursday night, I can scarcely accept the fact that tomorrow is Friday and the weekend is almost here! Friday also marks my one month anniversary since I arrived at WNE.

I had my first two actual exams this week that went much better than I anticipated. The professors here are great and prepare you thoroughly. Though I did not need to utilize them this time, both my Bio and Chem professors held open study sessions beforehand. It seems that everyone here at WNE wants to help me succeed.

I also had the pleasure of listening to Cedric Jennings’ inspirational speech Wednesday night as reinforcement to our summer reading: his biography A Hope in the Unseen. It was satisfying to finally be able to put a face to the name. It was so easy to believe that the book was work of fiction because of how dramatic and shocking the books’ events were. But no, indeed, Cedric really had to endure all those hardships the book revealed in order to be as successful as he is today. His story was truly that of an underdog. He was ridiculed and let down continuously. But he remained on track and has proven to be an inspiration to many.

This weekend, though I have some papers to write, I am looking forward to going to the Big E fair. I have never been before but I’ve heard it is super fun. I’ll be checking in soon (hopefully with some pictures)!

-Brandi

First Year Housing

Hey everyone! Although it’s hard to believe, a whole month has already passed since all the freshmen moved in here at WNE. Part of me can’t believe it’s already been a whole month, while another part of me can’t believe it’s only been a month. Maybe it’s the fact that here, it’s always so busy. There’s always something to do (whether it be go to class, do homework, or something non-academic related), always people to hang out with. This past month has been just so full of activity that it’s hard to believe it could all happen in only a month. While the transition hasn’t been all easy, I’m still 110% behind my decision to attend WNE, and love it here so much.

One of the main things I was worried about before coming to WNE was the whole roommate situation. I’ve shared a room for pretty much my whole life, but never with anyone besides one of my sisters. I was worried I’d be unable to find anyone to room with, and then after the fact I was afraid that everything would go disastrously. But, luckily for me, my biggest fear was put to rest! My roommate, Brandi (a fellow blogger, actually!) is great! We both get along really well, and I’m really glad that we’re roommates. Though you’ll hear roommate horror stories before coming to college, none of those have applied to me yet (and hopefully, they will never). As long as both you and your roommate are respectful of each other and talk things out, everything does, in my experience work out great. Also, in the first couple of weeks after move in, your RA (resident advisor) will have you fill out a roommate contract; so all agreements are in writing. The past month’s been no doubt hard, but also really fun. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next, and keep experiencing college life at WNE!

Best,

Jen Chaicchio