What it’s like to be a freshman at Marquette
With each new school year, a new class of freshmen arrive at Marquette craving independence, relevant education, a sweet dorm and a social life. However, like the first day of kindergarten, parents try to instill their final words of wisdom.
They’ll give guidance on hygiene, when to add the fabric softener in the laundry and what not to do with the opposite sex. Although they can only hope for the best and pray to get their money’s worth at the end of first semester, they will never really know what happens those first few joyous months of college.
Journal writers Marissa Evans and Laura Greteman compiled the most stereotypical, best-case scenarios, about what parents most likely believe is happening to their child in college and combined them with actual viewpoints from the class of 2013.
Studying: (Parent: School has always been the number one priority for my child. Being social is important, but my child is definitely there for the education.)
- “When I get distracted, I usually do Facebook Farmville and talking to whoever has their door open.” — Gagan Kaur, freshman, College of Engineering
- “My top three priorities are theater, friends and homework. But not really homework.” — Lex Gernon, freshman, College of Communications
Going out every night/Weekends: (Parent: Going out is a part of the college experience, so I assume my student goes out occasionally and is responsible about it.)
- “My parents know I go out, they just don’t know what I do.” — Matt Bunsness, freshman, College of Engineering
- “We have CommUNITY floor movie nights.” — Tara Vandygriff
- “I went out to at least four to five parties on the weekends during the first few weeks. We’d go out, end up at Marquette Gyros, recount our night, then do the same thing the next night.” — Matt Strelzyk, freshman, College of Engineering
Going to Class (Parent: My child never skipped class in high school. They will go to all their classes in college.)
- “For the most part I go to class. Being on time is questionable though, ’cause I have classes at 8 a.m.” — Montrell Williams, freshman, College of Arts & Sciences
- “I do go to all my classes — when I wake up for them.” Mitch Faccio, freshman, College of Arts & Sciences
Meal Plans: (Parent: I spent good money on that unlimited meal plan so they would not have to eat anywhere else but the dorms — they better be using it.)
- “Unlimited meal plans is not about the plan, its about the social aspect. … I’ll go and eat an apple, drink some water and chill. If I go a second time, I don’t eat — I just talk to my friends.” — Erin Thiemann, freshman, College of Arts & Sciences
Student Dorm Cleanliness: (Parent: My student’s room will probably be a bit cluttered, but manageable.)
- “My room is always a mess.” — Ben Maier, freshman, College of Arts & Sciences
- “Over the weekend it gets really dirty, but its not that bad.” — Matt Maa, freshman, College of Business
- “If you can see the floor of my room, it’s a good day.” — Caitlin Meeker
Homesickness: (Parents: My student will miss me. After all, I did raise them for the past eighteen years of their lives)
- “I call home once a week just to say ‘hi.’ ” — Mary Peplinski, freshman, College of Business
- “Figure out e-mailing and text messaging. I’m too busy studying — it’s a lot easier to press some buttons than dial a number on the weekends. ” — Wade Balkonis, freshman, College of Arts & Sciences
- “I don’t miss my parents. I miss my dog.” — Joe Kearney, freshman, College of Arts & Sciences
- “Given the frequency of communication I have with my parents, I would speculate that they believe that I am dead.” — Brendan Collins, freshman, College of Arts & Sciences
Tags: college, freshman, freshmen, homesickness, parents, partying, studying
Loading ...