Broward Community College - Silver Sands Yearbook (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

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student usually learns fafter costly experiencesj to buy second-hand books and to trade with other stu- dents. All these things, which at some time will be- come habits, are now new and confusing. Parking lot regulations, class-cutl' system, and the registra- tion procedure in time become second nature to the once baffled Freshman. From the choice of classes to the choice of a career, the Freshman year is a time of learning and reaching toward a goal. The sighting of this goal and the means to attain it lie with the Freshman. He must evaluate, compare, and choose: not only must he do this with courses and friends, but with values and principles. He encounters a wide variety of personalities and philosophies during his first year of college, and it is his responsibility to formulate a philosophy or set of standards of his own-which he does unconsciously whether he realizes it or not. With the widening of the Freshman's outlook on life, it is essential that he keep an open mind. His opinions and choices should be solid but flex- ible enough that if, after evaluation, he finds that he was mistaken about a career choice or the opin- ion of a person, he will be able to admit that his judgment was wrong. It is only in this way that he will benefit from his mistakes. The Freshman listens, ponders, and wonders. He argues, reconsiders, and angers. Speculating on everything from sex to politics, he finds, as ulti- mately all students do. that he is one of a group and, yet, alone. As his scope widens he thinks more universally. Studying takes on a greater meaning and lesser things are pushed into the background. The relief one feels for passing a Zoology test is not welcomed because of some vague threat from the teacher or parents, but because to the student, pass- ing Zoology represents coming one step closer to attaining a career or a degree. Membership in a po: litical or pre-professional organization on campus means not just the acquisition of friends or status. but the obtainment of valuable information or expe- rience which may help to determine or secure a final career. Frustration and disappointment are unavoidably encountered during the first year of college. No one can dream or work toward a goal without sometimes facing failure or realizing that one has misplaced one's trust. Often, without even realizing it, the Freshman desperately seeks to find a model, an idol, someone he respects and admires. Perhaps nothing brings such sadness than to learn that faith and admiration have been placed in someone who is not at all worthy. Although the experience is dis- illusioning, it teaches the new Collegian to put his faith in ideals and his trust in someone or some- thing grander and more universal than any one human being. After some disappointing experiences, it is not difficult for the new student to feel completely alone and depressed on the crowded college campus. The Freshman soon finds that there is no time for self pity because life continues around him with or with- out his volition. It is at this time that desire and an inexhaustible supply of hope carry him through. He learns that one mistake or failure does not mean total disaster. Attaining his goal may take more time and effort than originally planned, but he knows that in the end, it will be worth the effort if the goal is all that worthy. The Freshman is indeed a person who is find- ing himself. Although all his problems will not by any means be completely solved and some things will undoubtedly continue to confuse him, he will. have attained a great deal of knowledge and expe- rience when he gains the title Sophomore. Mistakes will be a part of his education, but they will serve to mature rather than permanently injure him. He will be more sure of his beliefs and ideals because he has had a chance to prove or disprove them and, although he is perhaps not certain, he has a better idea of to what he wants to devote his life. He is someone who will know triumph and disappointment on a varied scale, and he will live a year of hard work and excitement. He is someone to be little envied and greatly understood, he is a Freshman. Hope becomes an integral part of the Freshman, and everything he attemps is touched by it. 14

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T ,z :S 3 z' q' l ll ll 1 lll'1x l 9 The first year of college is definitely a time of important decisions, although it is seldom that the Freshman realizes this at the time. ested in fields totally different from those of his high school career. He may be exhibiting leader- ship qualities that he did not know existed, and his enthusiasm for activities on campus is great. Many times the shy, reserved student comes out of his shell in college, finding himself for the first time unhampered by the group of classmates that he has known since elementary school. New to the Freshman are many facts and cir- cumstances that he finds very difficult to accept. His difficulty in accepting them may lead to disconcert- ment and feelings of resentment, but it is part of that maturation process known as college. No mat- ter how much the Freshman has heard, nothing quite prepares him for that feeling of utter frustration which comes when he finds that two of his neces- sary classes meet at the same time, and his schedule is now unbelievably confused. The fact that he can- not slip by in a class without studying a great deal is discouraging, as are so many other facts of col- lege life. Pride and a feeling of accomplishment become the guideposts of a job well done. A grade is no longer merely a letter that signifies passing or fail- ing, but a symbol representing hours of study, re- search, and money. The college grades or professors' approvals are not easily earned and the Freshman finds that perhaps he is not as accomplished or ex- perienced as he had thought. It is at this time that he realizes that he truly is a novice, esp., a student during his first year, as in a college, as Webster's Dictionary defines the term Freshmanf' It is only gradually that the new student over- comes the feeling of being a novice on the college campus. The simplest procedure becomes a task when faced by the Freshman. At first, even the com- putation of a term grade average is difficult. Hours, credits, and points must all be considered and un- derstood to compile a grade average or to under- stand the fulfillment of academic requirements. Some students remain in the Freshman stage, in this re- spect, until the time of graduation, when they are informed of missing credits. Books are no longer distributed in the class- room with neatly lined cards but, instead, must be purchased carefully according to term, course, and number. The cost of books is expensive and the new f 5 ' l Fr., 4 - ' J H .L Alix QW uf The choices he makes concerning classes, friends, and every aspect of campus life will affect him in the future. 13

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WHY , THE CHOICE ? if 'I i , By THOMAS ROBINSON -3 'Ja ' '- If you stopped a group of fresh- Q 'T' - - men and asked them why they A L A f,f??'!'P ,., IJ 5 came to ICBC you would cer- . I . 'ff Ak. . J tainly get various replies. Even if the reasons are the same, people express them differently. What- ever their reasons, the freshmen have arrived. This past summer various high schools in the county replied to a questionnaire which asked that a percentage of graduating seniors give their reasons for enrolling at the junior College. The responses were interesting and unusual. Divided into four possible choices for attending, the catego- ries consisted of academic, finan- cial, social and other. In the academic category, an- swers ranged from, My grades were not good enough to get into a four-year universityf, to -ICBC is known to have a fine scholastic standingf, Another student felt that spending his first two years in a small college would help him to adjust to college life. Although many of the answers did not specifically say why the students were coming to the Jun- ior College of Broward County, many said that their primary rea- son for going to college was to get an education. jane Casey came because she feels it is a way to prepare her for a good job when she graduates, Patricia West came to gain knowledge, and jim Walton just doesn't want to be ignorant, Others were attracted to ICBC because of its outstanding courses and its high rating in the state. Martha Contner was attracted by the nursing program, Susan Brue- ning by the Data Processing pro- gram, and john Teitscheid because of the wide range of preparatory courses. Diana Pace, a receiver of a ICBC Honors Scholarship, stated her reason as, I have learned of the fine academic reputation the junior College of Broward County has and believe it is an excellent school. To be successful in the future, and, To have a profession to fall back onf' were the replies of two students when asked why they are going to college. Linda Farkas wants to build a better foundation before entering a four-year university. jerry Ha- ney is at ICBC because of an in- decision about his major subject: I will attend junior college until I determine what my vocation will be. Danny Lively is a bit skep- tical about college: If I can do college work it's better to find out in a junior college. Those were some of the aca- demic reasons why a number of high school seniors chose ICBC as the school in which to begin their college education. It is surprising to find that not many people put down their rea- sons for attending as social. The most common reply under this category was, All of my friends are going there, or, I know a lot of kids who will be there. A few people, however, gave the reason that it will give them a chance to meet new people. The most frequent answer given under the other heading had to do with living at home. Some stu- dents feel the best thing about junior College is that it saves money for them or for their par- ents. Social reasons undoubtedly enter into remaining at home, but finance plays the most important role. I want to live at home as long as possible , I'd like to stay at home for the first few years , 'Alt is close to present living ac- commodationsf, These are only a few of the rea- sons the students give for wanting to go to a junior college-the jun- ior College of Broward County in particular. Of course there are other incen- tives for attending ICBC. One person was interested in the short- er term of school. Dan johnson became philosophical about it: Since I am undecided about my future, why should I waste money elsewhereiy' Percentagewise, it adds up that 6277 came for academic reasons, 4570 came for financial reasons, and 1270 each for social and miscellaneous reasons. If you added it up and observed that it came to more than 10070, you are right. You must take into consid- eration that many students gave several reasons for being at JCBC. If you don't care for percent- ages, it can be stated another way. In order of their importance to the students of the freshman class, academic is first, financial is sec- ond, and social and miscellaneous reasons are third. No matter what the reason for donning the rat cap, whether it be because of the desire to be- come educated, to associate with old and new friends. or as one person put it, I don't want to leave my mother, they, the fresh- men, are now a part of the stu- dent body of the junior College of Broward County. 15