What was your freshman year like?
Freshmen take a look back on their first year at Wake
The end of the academic year is quickly approaching, and that means a lot of different things to Wake students. First, finals; second may be going to post-exams. And to seniors, it may mean a bittersweet (or just sweet? Or just bitter?) departure from their college years.
For freshmen, we’re in the home stretch of finishing our first year and I personally found myself thinking back on my year-long introduction to college life. How do I sum up my experience, the good, the bad, and the downright ugly, from move-in day to now, just a few weeks before I move out of Luter, my beloved freshman dorm? How do other members of the Class of 2019 feel?
I can only speak for myself, so I decided to ask ten of my fellow freshmen three questions about their experiences to see if they could put their year into words:
1) What was your favorite memory from freshman year?
2) Would you change anything about your first year?
3) Wrap up the past year with one word.
Jordan Rahm, Freshman, Psychology
“My favorite memory from freshman year is becoming a part of a sorority.”
“I would change…no, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Tater Rennhack, Freshman, Pre-Business
“My favorite memory from freshman year would probably be playing soccer with the guys on the team. And probably going to the Elite Eight and playing Stanford, although it was a shitty feeling whenever we lost. Then coming back from an ACL injury, I felt like it was something that was special even though I was sitting on the bench through the journey, I feel like it was something that was cool to be a part of as a freshman.”
“To be honest, probably not. I wish I would have hung out with the freshman guys a little bit more on the soccer team. But I made a lot more friends than I expected to with the guys on my hall and then the girls across the hall. And I think that’s something special that Wake Forest has…you don’t just room with athletes and stay with athletes. You’re more considered like a student…We’re not identified as just athletes.”
Wrap up the past year in one word: “Thriller”
Alex Morgan, Freshman, Undecided
“My favorite memory from freshman year was Lovefeast because we get caught up in thinking we belong to the freshman class or the sophomore class, or whatever. So, Lovefeast is a good reminder that we were all one Wake Forest.”
“No. Wouldn’t change a single thing.”
One word to describe this year? “Spectacular.”
Makenna Brezitski, Freshman, Chemistry and Health and Exercise Science
“My favorite memory was finding a group of people that I can hang out with all the time and making life-long relationships.”
“I would be more social first semester.”
This year was “Extraordinary.”
Miller Ligon, Freshman, Undecided
“Hanging out with the people on the rowing team that made the practice worth it.”
“No, nothing. It was full of all these good and bad things, but I wouldn’t change anything. Because every experience, regardless of whether it’s good or bad…you learn from it.”
Describe this year in one word: “Adventure”
Alex Monetti, Freshman, Chemistry
“My favorite memory from freshman year was getting a bid from Delta Zeta.”
“Nothing. I wouldn’t change anything. I had a great, fun-filled year.”
One word for freshman year? “Outstanding”
Kevin Costello, Freshman, (hopefully) Accounting
“I really enjoyed the orientation events and getting to know the guys on my hall because they’ve become really good friends.”
“Probably would’ve slept a little less and ate a little more.”
One word to describe this year? “Stressful.”
Anna-Barlow Murnane, Freshman, Psychology
“My favorite memory from freshman year was probably move-in day because I got to meet everyone on my hall and it was super exciting, and also learning the campus.”
“I wish that rush had been first semester just because, there’s pros and cons, but I feel like it’s very confusing to get settled, make your friend group and then rush kind of changes everything up.”
How would you describe this first year at Wake? “Change”
Jane Torell, Freshman, Pre-Business
“There’s too many good moments! But I think just overall, meeting new people and being exposed to different kinds of people is really nice.”
“I would say no…because if anything changed, I wouldn’t be where I am right now.”
How would you describe this year? “Life-changing”
Paul Bourdin, Freshman, Chemistry
“Finding the rowing team.”
“Doing better in orgo.”
One word for the year: “Unbelievable”