By Angie Ramirez

Freshmen face various struggles and issues throughout their first year in college, especially when they realize how different college is from high school. The first semester is usually more challenging than the rest as their new reality is settling in. With the new semester, freshmen students have a chance to reflect on what they did in their first semester to change what is needed to achieve the goals they set for themselves. University of Arkansas freshman Tanner Quiett remembers how difficult it was during her first semester.

“I was still in my high school mindset when I started the first semester, so I wasn’t ready to start college,” Quiett said. “I had to use Apple Maps to get to my classes.”

Getting lost searching for a classroom building is not uncommon for newcomers to college campuses. After a semester, many freshmen students know their way around campus. Quiett said she feels more comfortable knowing that she has her friends by her side and has an everyday routine she didn’t have over the break.  

Quiett explained how she wants to focus on making time to work out now that she has settled in for the new semester. 

On the other hand, freshman Izela Garcia believes adjusting to the new semester is harder than the first because of the long break beforehand. 

“Mostly after being home for a month, I think it’s harder for me to come back here and accept the challenges I’m given as a freshman,” Garcia said. “I got back here and remembered all the little annoying quirks of living in a dorm like having to walk up the hill or ride the bus for anything from Adohi, the campus food, the thin walls, and you realize you are back to reality.” 

Garcia lives in the Adohi Hall on the lower side of campus. The location makes it undesirable for students to go back and forth to the main part of campus.

“It’s always going to be an inconvenience being at the bottom of the hill, but I’m way more comfortable taking the bus,” Garcia said. “I learned their schedule, so I roughly know how I should time my days.” 

Freshman Anahi Trejo also faced a big adjustment in her living situation at the beginning of this semester with her roommate’s decision to move out of the dorm. 

“It’s a bit weird now since I don’t have a roommate anymore,” Trejo said. “I feel like it’s nice to have my own space, but also sad because I don’t have anyone to speak to, and I sometimes wish there was somebody there who I could speak to.” 

Trejo said that this experience encouraged her to join clubs this semester so she could be involved in campus organizations. 

 Despite Garcia and Trejo’s on-campus experiences, they both look to continue to keep a good balance with their schoolwork and after-school activities. 

“I became very extroverted when I thought I was the opposite,” Garcia said. “Everything feels as if my life had lined up perfectly for me to end up here. I don’t want to repeat the same things I did every day, and I want to expand the bubble I have now. I’m ready to be more involved and pursue the things I held back on in my first semester.” 

Garcia joined the National Association of Hispanic Journalists chapter on campus during her first semester where she regularly attends meetings and helps organize upcoming events. She recently joined the Razorback Yearbook as a photographer, but she also continues to stay on track with her classes. 

Trejo feels more experienced when it comes to the new semester. She knows what to expect and is comfortable with her classes as well as her campus job where she gets the chance to be involved and plan several events.

Like Trejo, many students rely on financial aid for their education and college expenses. To continue to receive it, students need to maintain a certain GPA along with other requirements, which makes it essential for them to have a routine to complete their assignments on time. Trejo struggled with turning in assignments on time at the beginning of the fall semester because she was not familiar with the learning system. 

“I definitely learned to keep track of my assignments and keep them on a planner because beforehand it was difficult to know when things were due,” Trejo said. “So I decided to have a color-coded planner to keep track of the assignments since I would forget to do things and do them last second.”

Even though everyone in the university has similar goals, every student has a different college experience. It can be harder for freshmen since it’s their first year and they don’t know what to expect, but everyone should be mindful of the students they encounter on campus.

“I learned some important but hard life lessons that have helped me go into the second semester with less anxiety and fear of the unknown,” Quiett said.

Though it is only their first semester, freshmen keep what they experienced to continue to grow for the following ones. It is a way for them to figure out what works best for them and be successful with their goals. 

“I learned that I’m here for a reason,” Garcia said. “Not only am I capable of being in harder classes and passing them, but I’m also here to have fun and I should allow myself to experience that.”