As an incoming student…
Aug 13th, 2009 by Admissions Counselor
In preparation for fall orientation, we asked one of our tour guides, Jaime B., to give us her tips for incoming students.
My first bit of advice is not to have any expectations. There are a lot of things out there like Facebook, websites that rate professors, websites that rate schools themselves…none of that matters. It doesn’t matter because none of those people who said all of those things about Goucher, whether awesome or atrocious, are you.
You will not be able to predict what your experience at Goucher will be like until you come here and take the time to find out. You don’t know which classes you’ll like, what your professors will be like, or most importantly, the people that you will meet. You don’t even know what your day-to-day schedule will be like. So, don’t arrive at Goucher with a set scenario in your mind. Don’t expect specific things to happen. Whatever you’re thinking isn’t reality, it’s a day dream. What happens when you come to Goucher is reality, so let it happen. Embrace the change and remain open to new people. It’s the best way to accept and adapt to everything around you.
Also, don’t worry about making a set group of friends right away. I made three close friends first semester of freshman year, but I don’t recall being that close to anyone else. They were and still are some of best friends, but I wanted to meet other people. And I did. Getting acquainted with a college is a process. It takes time. Don’t think that you’re the only person who isn’t finding their niche, or that you’re the only person who doesn’t exactly like their situation at Goucher. It takes months to get comfortable and even longer to make your experience your own. I didn’t start finding my way at Goucher until sophomore year. Now, I still have those three best friends in addition to a ton of others. I know what role I play on campus. I have no doubts that this year will be amazing.
Jaime B. is a senior from Connecticut.