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Early College
Freshman year always goes by in a whirlwind. There are so many things going on, people to meet, and places to go that it’s often hard to choose what to focus on. Here are some “must-dos” for the freshman who is unsure of what to do.
Okay, you feel a little silly, nervous, and excited during Welcome Week, but so do all the rest of the freshmen, even if they put up a good front! You will meet a lot of people during this week and become instant friends with some of them. Ultimately, these are the people you are going to be with for the next four years. Have some fun, and enjoy the moments. One day, you will be walking across campus with a friend, you met during Welcome Week, remembering the first time you met each other in a human knot!
One of the greatest mysteries of Alexander Dining Hall is where they get their ice cream flavors. From the typical chocolate ice cream, to the one with the blue pretzels, and all the way to fireball ice cream, the options change every week. Dare to be brave, and try them all out. Trust me; it is a great thing to know all the flavor options. It will save your time come senior year when you only have 10 minutes to eat.
There are many buildings on campus and a lot of different nooks within them. For a couple of weeks, it can be hard to navigate around campus. However, no worries, you will soon become an expert at knowing exactly when to leave any building to get to class exactly on time. One of the challenges for you freshmen, though, is to find the CSE Office (the Center for Student Engagement Office). The reason to find this office is because, first off, it is actually pretty difficult to find, and, second, these are the people who put on all the major events around campus for students. So, if you want the inside scoop, that is where you will find it.
There is an age-old tradition here at Geneva College that has been faithfully upheld for years by desperate, late-night crammers, the constantly loyal procrastinator, and unwavering, waiting-to-the-last-minute-to-complete-an-assignment student…the midnight run to Sheetz. Now, this one may be hard for you to complete since Sheetz is temporarily under construction, yet faithful you must be. There is going to be a night this year when you realize that the fate of the world rests upon the completion of your HUM 103 paper, when words have stopped pouring forth, when fingertips have been worn off, and when Times New Roman has been set at 12 points with the line spacing already doubled, and yet still there is a full page to go. That, my youthful freshman, is when you will know it is time for the midnight Sheetz run. Enjoy the walk with your follow red-eyed freshman to get the sour gummy worms and monster.
Yes, this is a “must-do.” Why? Because one-third of the students at Geneva College are student-athletes. Even though you may have a bad taste in your mouth from the high school jocks who ruled the school, or you may be more of a music and arts type, or you might actually be a student-athlete, a large portion of those around you are into sports. Get some of your roommates, make some posters for the hallmate, who always smells of dirt, get out there, and cheer on your school. It is a fun time, and you will not regret it.
This freshman “must” is a hard one because it requires a car. However, I have no doubt that you will make friends with someone who has a set of wheels. The incline is located in Pittsburgh and overlooks the whole city. One of the great things about going to Geneva College is that Pittsburgh is just a 40 minute drive away and makes for some great weekend fun. Every freshman should do this before the year is up because it not only gets you out of the Geneva College bubble, but it gives you the opportunity to see the city and experience some new things.
Okay, freshmen, at this point in the semester, you have now payed your dues and have attend chapel faithfully. There may be no need to actually go to the last chapel; however, there is something to be said for the last chapel of the semester. The last chapel of the semester is one of comradery! Yeah, sure the whole campus is not attending. However, the ones who are there are the true spirits of Geneva. They stuck it out (or they had to be there); yet, either way, you are there hearing the Chaplain make one last cheese joke, or watching the last reading series promotional film, or singing the last Psalm of the semester before heading off. There is something special about that last chapel that can only be shared by those who attend.
There are many other things that could be on the list that you will discover in your time at Geneva College, yet for right now, this will do. Now, you can make your own list of Geneva College “must-dos” for the next generation of freshmen.
For more information on Welcome Week or upcoming Geneva events, contact the Center for Student Engagement Office at cse@geneva.edu or 724-847-6644.
-Hannah Beckhusen ‘16
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