That beautiful freshman year

By Ranya Arora, SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business

If there is one word that can describe freshman year, it would be “unpredictable” – because that’s how it is. There is just so much that changes around you when you graduate from the secure surroundings of high school and set foot into university life. You may even view this as one’s last chance to get a fresh start, to rediscover yourself, to change your mind about what you want to do.

It is this air of uncertainty that surrounds every student in their first year at university, that makes it all the more fun and memorable. Here, we present five unique experiences that you will encounter only in your freshman year.

1. Everyone wants to be everyone’s friend.

You will get to know tons of different people. Naturally, you will try to maintain as many friendships as possible.

As time passes, though, there will be some friends that will drift apart. Those who stick with you through the turbulence of the first year are the most likely to be your university buddies throughout.

2. That newfound feeling of independence.

Coming to university gives you this fresh vibe of freedom that you may never have felt before. You have to be responsible, and at the same time you are still allowed to be carefree at times and make mistakes. It is like the perfect trial run for adult life: many of the freedoms, with few of the burdens.

3. Going out every weekend.

Freshman year is the only time that you’ll be free enough to go out and party every now and then. You may find yourself broke from overspending on a night out, and you will surely discover the uniquely painful experience of rolling into an 8 am class while badly hungover.

By your second semester though, the academic pressure starts piling up, and that’s when you’ll begin to budget your time and energy more conservatively.

4. Trying out new things.

With so many interesting activities taking place on campus, and so many clubs and interest groups vying for your attention, you may get a little carried away in trying out all the things you were always too shy or afraid of in your previous school years. Go for it! Even though there’s a high chance you’ll drop out of half the CCAs you joined, you will always have the satisfaction that you tried them at least once.

5. The dreaded “Freshmen 15”.

You may resent those extra kilos, and bemoan the sad reality that the fabulous outfit you wore to freshmen bash doesn’t fit you anymore. However, you’ll never regret all the good food you ate while hanging out with your new friends and classmates.

The good news is that you have plenty of opportunities – and three more years – to get your fitness level back where you’d like it to be. Our campus is well-equipped with fitness facilities, not to mention all the sports and adventure activities organised by our student groups. Check out some possible fitness activities in this post!

So go ahead and discover a new you and make the most of this time!

 

Undergraduate applications are open — visit admissions.smu.edu.sg to learn how you can Transform into a Different U.