Alumni Panel Shares College Advice with Wesleyan Seniors

Upon returning to school on January 4 to start a new semester, Wesleyan seniors were offered the opportunity to hear from several Wesleyan alumni who are just beginning, or in the middle of, their college careers. These alumni spoke about things they wish they had known before going to college and gave advice to the senior class about how to take full advantage of the opportunities offered there. See below for a sample of the advice offered.
Alumni Panel
Anna Balch ’19
Niles Boyd ‘20
Elizabeth Bruehl ‘18
Tatum Connor ‘20
Annie Cowart ’19
Amanda Doane ‘19
Robert Johnson ’20
Sammy Johnson ’20
Meredith Mangum ’20
Colton Villa ’20
 
Advice:
  • “Take advantage of all your free time. Keep a calendar and keep your schedule simple. If you don’t have some sort of time management system, the free time will slip away from you.”
  • “Keep track of all the dates for scholarships, club application deadlines, events, etc. Everything sneaks up on you really quickly!”
  • “Make an effort to get to know your professors. Go to office hours after class.”
  • “Introduce yourself to people in your classes! You will have a way better time if you know the people that are sitting next to you.”
  • “Give yourself a lot of grace, especially during freshman year. College is hard, but you will end up exactly where you need to be!”
  • “Make a friend in every class! It is incredibly helpful to have a friend to study with or remind you when things are due.”
  • “Plug yourself into a group or club. Whether it’s student government, a sports club, or campus ministry – it’s a great way to make friendships.”
  • “Study abroad! If you don’t do it in college you will never do it. Living in a different country for 6 months is an incredible experience and allows you to really get to know a place.”
  • “If you don’t have a kitchen set-up in your dorm room, take a banana or apple from the dining hall for a quick snack.”
  • “Remember that you are a product of the environment that you put yourself in and the people you surround yourself with. Be intentional about the choices you make. This is your first time being independent – go make things happen!”
  • “It takes time to figure everything out – whether it is finding your group of friends or choosing a major. Patience is a good thing.”
  • “Play around with your schedule! Find out whether or not you like to take a lot of classes back to back, or if you prefer to take a break in between.”
  • “Go on Rate My Professor to find out who the best teachers are. It will help you when you are deciding which classes to take!”
  • “Do not schedule an 8 a.m. class if possible.”
  • “Find out what your strengths are and what gets you excited. It might take some time, but it is worth it even if you have to switch majors.”
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