Welcome Class of 2018
All your hard work has paid off — the dreaded SATs and ACTs are over, the last grueling weeks of senior year have ended, the strenuous anticipation waiting for that acceptance letter that you thought would never come has subsided.
Now you’re here, and allow me to to congratulate you and welcome you to Fairfield University. You are now officially the class of 2018.
This transition you will soon be going through between orientation and coming back to Fairfield in the fall will be a difficult one to make.
You are now on your own, making your own rules, free from outside parental control. In order to be successful and have an enjoyable freshmen year, I’m going to offer you some advice.
Be friendly. This is the opportunity to make new friends and meet new people.
While it is good to stay close to the people you first meet, you will eventually realize that the people you befriend the first few months of school will probably not be the friends you are close with come the end of the year.
Don’t burn bridges; introduce yourself to people and be open to making new friends.
Don’t skip class. It is so easy to not go to a class (especially if it is a Friday afternoon), but in the long run, cutting class will only hurt you.
Professors at Fairfield do notice your attendance and believe it or not it will almost always affect your grade.
Missing class is okay once in a while — but don’t allow it to become a bad habit you can’t break.
Know the campus. For example, don’t call a taxi to take you to the Townhouses. Besides the party scenes, being familiar with your home for the next four years is important.
Know the buildings and locations of your classes, but take it a step further.
Explore the lesser known side of campus — the zen garden in front of the Bellarmine Mansion offers a peaceful escape, and there are plenty of other places off the beaten path to visit when you need time to yourself.
Socialize. Whether it be on the weekends or during the week, spend time getting to know people on your floor and in your building.
Don’t spend hours alone in your room — eat at Barone Main Dining Hall with different people, take time and do homework in the common rooms, catch a sporting event with some friends or join a club (we would love to see you here at The Mirror meetings).
Spend time outside your room and embrace meeting and hanging out with other people during your days here.
Have fun. These next four years here will be what you make them.
The most important thing to do (besides pass all of your classes, of course) is to enjoy the time you spend here at Fairfield.
Go out for lunch in town with your friends, root for the soccer team with the kids on your floor and spend those beautiful sunny days on the quad with others in your year.
People say that college is the best four years of your life; this is true, but only if you make it so.
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