We are more than halfway through the semester and there are plenty of things that I have yet to cover in Senioritis. This week, I figure it is time that I write about a topic I hold near and dear to my heart, and one that has affected everyone on this campus.
Have you ever bombed a Calculus, Chemistry, or CAL test? Forgotten your room key inside your room and been locked out? Been caught by your RA or Campus Police doing something that you shouldn’t have been doing? In other words, were you ever a freshman? If you have ever suffered through any of these things, then congratulations, you had Freshmanitis Dumbitus.
As people in our year have gotten older, it seems as if each new freshman class makes more and more mistakes. Even as people on our campus tout each incoming class as being more selective (the highest GPAs, best SAT/ACT scores, and most AP/IB credits), we as upperclassmen still see this supposedly intelligent group of freshmen acting sophomoric. Many seem to have the mindset that they can coast through Stevens and treat it like it was high school. I have seen some of my peers stay up all night and play Starcraft or watch Anime and forego studying for their tests. Perhaps they fall on the opposite end of the spectrum, and there are those who spend all their time in the library, studying at a cubicle, and forgo a social life.
My friends, freshmen are dumb. Yes, they may have scored about 2200 on the SAT, got a 3.9 (unweighted) in high school, but their transition to an environment where they are only responsible for themselves is not always a smooth one. They will err, as is normal, and they will eventually learn. Yes, they have their typical talks with administration and staff during orientation, but let’s be honest, who actually remembered all those talks? People learn through stories and experiences, and this is where we come in.
I challenge you all, not just seniors, but upperclassmen as a whole to take the time to be a leader to at least one freshman. We are treasure troves of knowledge and experience, and it is our duty to pass that onto those who are starting off their journey here. If you’re part of a club, tell them about an awesome time that you had at an event you went to. For instance, going Greek can be one of the best ways for freshmen to become acclimated with our campus. The big/little dynamic is one that is difficult to mirror. Athletes, use what you know about other E8 teams and teach the newcomers how to exploit their weaknesses. The cure for Freshmanitis Dumbitus doesn’t come from the shelves at CVS, it comes from our adventures, trials, and experiences.
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