My First-Year Experience: Sam's Story
As Fall 2020 approaches, and it’s starting to settle in that I will be a senior, I began reflecting on what my first year experience was like, and how Brooks 5 became my second home. Getting ready to come to Barnard was exciting, but as August approached and my high school friends all began to leave, I was getting more and more nervous. Going to college in the city was a new adventure with new people to meet, which I was eager to do because I come from a small town where you know everyone and I was ready for a change of scenery. I decided to go through random roommate selection, and took the roommate survey to match me with someone. I never thought that it would work out so well, because it seemed like we were complete opposites: Ornella was from LA and I was from NY. She seemed super fashionable and I could not really care less about clothes. She was an only child and I was the oldest of three. However, there are really no words to describe how well we lived together. I can’t say this for most of my friends, but I would live with her anywhere, at any point in my life. We got along really well, had the same studying and living habits, and we both had a 9 AM biology class that we dragged each other to after we rolled out of bed at 8:55 (coincidentally, we were both not morning people). It also worked out that we were both on the pre-med track, which also meant I always had a study buddy and a cheerleader post-first-year too. We are still really good friends, and I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through my first year without her.
Another person that really helped with my transition during my first year was my RA, Marika. She would have open office hours Sunday nights, where anyone in our hall would pop in and talk to her and with each other. She always had snacks, and it was nice to have that support system, and helped me build friendships with people in my hall. I still keep in touch with her today, and I’m really lucky to have had such a great RA.
Many of the friends I met during my first year I still have and are some of my closest friends. Being in the Quad where you can just walk into anyone’s room was a unique bonding experience that I took for granted, especially when we all scattered in different dorms sophomore year. While I became very close with the people on my floor, this wasn’t common for everyone. There are definitely other ways to meet and make friends, and I also became close with people in my First-Year Seminar class my first semester. Part of the reason Barnard has First-Year Experience courses is to meet other first years, which I was able to do. But through clubs, and just being on campus and seeing the same people, there are so many different ways to meet other students.
What I wished I knew coming in, was that freshmen year is all about adjustment. It’s the first time you truly have independence--you decide when to eat and where, if you go to class or skip, what you do with your free time, and honestly, it can be overwhelming. Personally, I had a really tough transition, but the friendships and support I had during my first year made it easier, and looking back, I’m so thankful to have had them.
-Samantha Chong