Welcome Class of 2019!
We are looking forward to welcoming you to the Bluff very soon. As a current junior, I was in your shoes only 2 years ago. I was nervous to leave home, yet excited to see what college had to offer. I know all of you will succeed in anything you decide to tackle, but here are a few tips that I learned during my fall semester of freshman year:
1) Talk to your professors!
There will come a time in the semester when you won’t understand something in the course- maybe it was one lecture, but maybe it was an entire chapter- your professor is there for you. They WANT you to succeed and they WANT you to understand! So don’t be afraid to email them. Utilize their office hours!
2) Talk to everyone and try to establish relationships!
Talk to people, old and young, everyone at UP is fun! Talk to other business majors, talk to engineers, talk to nursing majors. Talk to those who live in your dorm, talk to those who live in your quad, talk to those who live across campus. Talk to the squirrels! Do not be afraid to go up and say hi to people to start a conversation! Everyone on this campus is extremely nice and welcoming and we all love meeting new people. You never know who may turn out to be your next best friend!
3) Manage your time wisely!
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. We know, you’re in college and are finally away from home. You no longer have someone to report to and you’re excited for all this new found freedom. But don’t take it too far. Remember you are here for a reason – to learn! Go explore downtown with friends, go explore St. John’s. But remember to study, and study hard!
And finally, I think the most important thing to keep in mind is:
4) Do what you love!
Myself, I personally love hiking, camping, learning from other people, and being with friends. Academically, I love numbers, I love seeing how an investment one day can grow and create something extraordinary. What do you love? Not everyone will know going into their first year of college, I certainly didn’t. Explore the opportunities and clubs presented to you, even ones you wouldn’t initially think of joining. Academically, embrace all the courses offered by the Pamplin School of Business. Regardless, if you enter your first year believing you’re going to be a marketing major, embrace accounting, embrace finance, embrace Operation and Technology Management (OTM). Find a major you love and are most passionate about!
Good luck, Class of 2019! I hope you utilize every opportunity that comes your way. I hope you find your passion and find what motivates you every day.
Sincerely,
Bridget King, Junior
Finance and Marketing