The second semester has finally arrived! It is now time to reflect on the experiences you have faced and assess your progress.  
Some of you fellow freshman may find your growth to be successful and shocking, while others may continue to struggle.
 As freshmen we have faced our share of change and adversity. Surrounding us is unfamiliarity. We have to wake up in a new bed that is a whole lot smaller than our full or queen size bed at home we are used to sprawling out on. We have to go through the trouble of going to class 20 minutes early just so you can find your classroom while also making sure that we are in the correct building.
You also have to go through the awful process of adding and dropping classes that unfortunately, does not get any simpler. You still have to get an add and drop sheet, write down the classes you’re adding and dropping, get the new professor you’re adding to sign the sheet, then get your advisor to sign the sheet, and FINALLY, hand it in to the ladies in student services.
However, the best thing to think about is that you are not alone. Everyone is experiencing mixed feelings of anticipation, uncertainty, excitement and even anxiety. All these feelings will eventually fall into place.    
For many freshmen, freedom is what we have wanted for some time, but we may not have realized the amount of responsibility that goes with it. There are many new responsibilities we now have to deal with not completely alone, but without someone telling us every move to make. As free individuals we have the responsibility of making new connections, getting involved in clubs or sports, keeping our grades up, and trying to have a little bit of fun here and there as well.
As a part of this responsibility, we have to take note that our old studying habits may have worked in high school, but in this new setting they may not.
And there are other challenges we may not have foreseen. I believe everyone can agree that the dining hall’s food is nothing like a home cooked meal that our mom would prepare for us. Getting used to the food was not as easy as I presumed.
Another common challenge that I figured out was the amount of effort it takes to open mailboxes. I have only visited mine twice and each time someone has opened it for me.
The last, and possibly most frustrating dilemma that everyone can relate to is the tedious process of registering for classes. The “site crashing” rumor is not a joke. My first time registering as a freshman was right before the second semester, and when the site crashed I was very upset – not to mention nervous and anxious.
But while all of these things may sound like a nightmare, as I enter the new semester I realize that things really do settle down. Instead of focusing on being in a new environment, I am now looking into clubs and sports that I can involve myself in.
    – Kaylee Pratt