Hello, hello Hoboken!

Being a second-year freshman is a lot like online dating. You’ve hypothetically “met” the

school already, and decided this is the one based on the limited information you were given. You had all your classes and conversations online. You met all your friends online. And when you finally get there in person to do it all again, for real this time, it’s a whole lot of “wait… what?” and record scratch noises. So yeah, here we are, back at it again for a second take. No more dress rehearsal; this is the real deal. And by “real deal,” I mean I’ll actually have to get out of bed and walk more than three feet to get to my classes.

Maybe it’s a feeling that I’ve gotten used to, but being a second-year freshman kind of

gives you the impression that you’re being unintentionally overlooked. There are the first-year freshmen, who have really never seen the place; then there are the sophomores who were in person last year. And then there’s us: people who have taken tests online, studied with strangers, and have a 25% complete transcript, but still can’t navigate campus or tell you where the nearest restroom is.

I’m sure we’ve missed out on a lot. On one hand, we never got that first-year dorm

experience of living in close proximity to equally lost peers. Rather, it’s straight into adulthood and apartment living or, for commuters, extensive transportation. But at the same time, it’s an opportunity nonetheless for us to make memories this year. Maybe that’s by doing something as simple as cooking our first meal away from home. Or experiencing the feeling of getting a care package delivered with all of our favorite things. Or, coming up with a definitive answer to the age old question, “what is the best bagel shop in Hoboken?” Either way, it’s official: we are big kids now. We had to do a lot of growing up on our own to prepare ourselves for this moment, and now we’ve finally arrived.

But the credits are far from rolling. There are at least three years left for each of us second-years before we’ve actually completed our college experience at Stevens to close another chapter of our lives. Three years sounds like a lot, and even writing it I’m kind of skeptical. However, seeing how fast freshman year went by makes me realize that time is fleeting. Who knows how the next three years will go? Who knows who we’ll meet, who we will help, and who will help us? Just like how the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical begins, this is the “start of something new,” and hopefully something great.

Coming here was a big move and way more intimidating than I should care to admit. But

a friend of mine once told me that all I had to do was give it a chance and that one line made all the difference in my experience of being so far away from home. And so to all you fellow second-year freshmen, all I urge you to do is give it a chance. Change is inevitable, there’s no questioning that aspect. So give it a chance, roll with it, and maybe pick up a bagel on your way in. I’m sure it’ll be the first of many.

Second-Year Freshman is an Opinion column used to explore the unique experiences of Sophomore students who studied remotely their freshman year during the coronavirus pandemic, and are now experiencing campus life for the first time during the 2021-2022 academic year.