Grad Students Offer Wise Words to Incoming Freshmen

By Neil Beschle

Roughly 3,800 freshmen blitzed the University of Oregon campus this fall, bringing with them feelings of excitement and apprehension about their college years to come. Amidst this tumultuous time, graduate students at the university reflected on their first years of higher education and offered incoming students some words of advice.

Alex Baldino, a law school student at the University of Oregon, recalls the importance of keeping an open mind during his first year at Hampshire College in western Massachusetts.

“The best thing is to not be tied down to any one idea about what you want to do. Don’t make decisions about school before you really know what it’s about,” Baldino said.

While many freshmen may come to school with a career path in mind, mymajors.com reports that 50 percent of college students declare major changes later in their academic career.

Another law school student, Sarah Spring, stresses the importance of time spent in class. She credits much of her success as a freshman to class attendance and concentration in lecture halls.

“Go to all your classes and listen in lecture. Professors will say things there that you will never learn from a textbook.”

Spring’s classmate Blake Rider also advocates being productive in class.

“Utilize your class time well. It’s the time when I was always most efficient.”

All three agreed that their years as undergrads were both rewarding and enjoyable.

“Don’t be too stressed out about things”, says Rider, “Don’t allow your schoolwork to overwhelm you.”

Baldino echoed similar sentiments and urged students not to forget the lighter side of college life.

“Enjoy yourself, this is also a time to have a lot of fun.”