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First year students comment on their semester so far and the ways UF is here to help them
By Lauren Perry, PerryL4@Findlay.edu
Students making the transition from high school to college can be overwhelmed with a completely different lifestyle, but The University of Findlay says it has many resources to help students combat this adjustment. From new schedules to living on their own for the first time, there can many adjustments to make.
Education Data Initiative recorded that college dropout rates are up to 32.9%. Additionally, first-time undergraduate freshmen have a 12-month dropout rate of 24.1%. Certain aspects of college can be hard, according to current college students. Still, University of Findlay students give a lot of positive feedback on their college experience so far.
According to current freshmen at UF, one of the biggest upsides to college is the newfound freedom that they have. Whether that be the freedom to skip class or more free time, it seems that college students enjoy these luxuries.
One of the most noted benefits of college some freshmen was the flexibility of their schedules.
“What I like more about a college schedule is the freedom to pick which classes I want,” said UF freshman Karyn Bennett. “If you are a morning person you can choose morning classes and have the afternoon off, so I really enjoy that.”
Freshman Grant Goodfellow agrees.
“There’s so much more time,” Goodfellow said. “Compared to being there [high school] all day and I’m living here. Some days I only have two classes.”
On the other hand, upcoming finals and midterms can seem quite intimidating for a student that has never had exams like these before. Some of the freshmen may not feel entirely prepared.
“I guess I don’t really know what to expect yet, so I could be kind of caught off guard,” said Goodfellow. “That’s what I’m most nervous about.”
Bennett explained that she was not prepared for some of the classes themselves.
“The topics we are covering, I never took anything like that in high school,” she noted.
U.S. News touched on the worry of not being prepared in an article regarding mistakes that freshmen make when handling their college experience. The author of this particular article, Sarah Wood, works as an education reporter. She wrote that one of the biggest mistake’s students make is not asking for help. Whether that be inside or outside the classroom, Woods encourages her audience to reach out to school officials and centers on campus dedicated to helping students find their way.
On top of this, students are experiencing homesickness, especially those from out of state. For some freshmen, it can be their first time living on their own but living states away can add a whole new set of struggles. Bennett’s family lives in Texas, which has had an impact on her first semester away.
“If I had a really hard week at school, you know, getting away and spending time with friends, I can’t do that,” stated Bennett. “It’s kind of been affecting my mental health a little bit.”
However, at UF there are some on campus organizations that focus on helping students with any of the challenges they may face. Liz Sabel, associate Vice President for student success at UF oversees many areas that are helpful for students. Sabel mentioned that students withdraw from college for a variety of reasons and they are monitored by the university. “It is really across the board,” stated Sabel. “We see it divided between personal reasons, sometimes they change their major, and then we’re also looking at students who say they’re withdrawing for financial reasons.”
Sabel also noted that the Oiler Success Center and Financial Aid Office are both resources for helping students navigate options to stay enrolled.
In addition to these resources, Sabel provided other outlets for students to utilize on campus. “The resources are vast,” Sabel commented. “That’s why we have counseling services, and the Oiler Success Center, and tutoring. We really have it because we are investing back in what the student invested in us.”
Sabel says the university invests in helping “the whole student.”
“Maybe students come for the academics, but they don’t realize that along with that, they need social, academic, life support,” said Sabel. “College really does encompass the whole person. It’s not just the academic piece.”
