Lebanon Valley College - Quittapahilla Yearbook (Annville, PA)

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Arriving on Campus Anxious and Wide-Eyed We all know the feeling — one of awe, nervousness, and excitement. We ' ve just arrived at college as wide- eyed freshimen, and we appear ready to take on tfie world. We plan to meet all types of new people, join a number of different organizations, and, basically, just fiave a lot of fun. However, deep in- side we are actually worried about be- ing accepted, scared that we won ' t be able to handle the difficult courses, and frightened that we will become home- sick. The seemingly confident, mature student is really a lonely, terrified newcomer. Over the course of the first semester, though, freshmen usually transform into the confident selves that they imagined themselves to be originally. First of all, when the freshman initially views the campus, he sees it as a vast, confusing place. Bill Dietz, in remem- bering his first impressions of LVC, said, Everything seemed larger than life. However, Jill Hassler, added, After you got settled in, though, things came into proportion. After inspecting the campus, the freshman is off to his room to meet his roommate, the person with whom he will be spending a great deal of the next nine months. During the first months together a great many compromises will be made between the two, as they adjust to living with each other. The friendships made between roommates will be among the strongest ever experienced. Sooner than he knows it, the freshman is off to classes, the real reason he is here. Like most other students, this freshman is somewhat nervous, fearing that his course work will be overbearing and almost impos- sible, just like high school teachers al- ways warned it would be. However, most LVC freshmen seem to be ready to handle the work and are not sur- prised at its difficulty or its quanity. Says Bill Dietz on his courses, I ex- pected the work load to be as difficult as it is, but compared to friends at other colleges, ours (LVC ' s) courses seem to be geared higher. Once he realizes that courses won ' t consume all his free time, the freshman starts exploring the extra-curricular op- tions open to him. Joining athletic teams, fraternities or sororities, or other various organizations are among his choices he has at LVC. The fresh- man also realizes that he has gained a great many freedoms by going off to college. He has no one looking over his shoulder telling him to clean up, to do his work, or to be home by a certain hour. These freedoms seem fantastic, but the freshman must learn to handle the newly gained responsibilities that accompany thfem. Jill Hassler com- ments, Because of the new freedoms acquired at college, budgeting my time became more difficult, and I found it hard to get the grades I wanted. However, every freshman enjoys being trusted as an adult, even if it does mean having to do your own laundry and cleaning. Learning to allot one ' s time in order to earn good grades as well as still having an active social life is a ma- jor lesson learned by first-year students. During the first few months of col- lege, however, the freshman is still ad- justing to his new lifestyle. Fears of unacceptance usually disappear, as he meets a number of exciting friends fair- ly easily. As Annette Boyles observed, People seem friendler in college than they were in high school. Also, the freshman will be introduced to many in- teresting unique people and their fascinating ideas. The first year in col- lege allows a freshman the opportunity to broaden his horizons by relating to other students from varied locations and backgrounds, noted Steve Trap- neil. This aspect of college life con- tributes greatly to the new student ' s personal development. Frustration still haunts the freshman, however, as he isn ' t completely ac- customed to the traditions and pro- cedures of LVC. Among other things the freshman must sit through tedious seminars and must struggle with registration, including having to register last, which causes many desired courses to close before he can schedule them. Tami Groff summar- ized, It ' s sometimes frustrating because everyone else except us seems to know what is going on. At the same time, I like being treated as an adult and enjoy the freedoms that come with going to college. Upperclassmen play an important I role in the freshman ' s life also. They can either make life miserable for the confused, lonely freshman, or they can offer their widsom and guidance to him. Most freshmen seem to find that up- perclassmen are the latter — they are help- ful and treat freshmer as equals. They make sure that freshmen don ' t get lost in the shuffle, and they pro- vide support and en- couragement to the new students. Sooner than he knows it, our freshmen also be- comes an authority on LVC. He has been to the homecoming game against Albright, has ordered pizza from Piz- za Palace, and has made a Saturday night visit to the Under- ground. He is now a true LVC student. By November, the freshman is almost completely adjusted to LVC and time starts go- ing faster. Rachel Snyder remarked, When you first arrive on campus, you think that it is going to be an eternity until - s a 24

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(Continued from p. 22) As one can easily see, commuters have many problems that resident students do not have. However, from family distrations to car problems, these disadvantages have become a way of life for the commuter. After the first three semesters, most com- muters agree that the disadvantages have dimmed in comparsion to the advantages. The most important advantage to most commuters interviewed is the financial savings. However, two other advantages stand out. The first is the increased privacy of living at home. The second is the fact that most commuters enjoy leading lives that are separated from the college campus. I ' ve lived in the dorms and you do get some privacy. But at home it is much quieter, says one resident- turned-commuter. In the dorms everyone is either going somewhere or returning, partying, or studying. Each individual student is worried about how they did on their exam or quiz. They do not always take the time to consider the fact that other people might be trying to study. At home this is different. People are still running around and causing distrac- tions at times. However, one ' s own family respects your privacy more than most people in the dorms do. After all, you can stop your little brother from playing war games. But you cannot stop the interruptions caused by your roommate and other people living on your floor. At home you have substantial control over your privacy. But at college, unless you live in the library, your privacy can sometimes disappear for weeks. Most commuters realize they have an extra bonus. If you are a resident without a car, you have probably already figured out this bonus. Com- muters, as well as residents with cars, have the opportunity to live lives that do not constantly focus on the events of the college campus. It is not that these events are negative, for many commuters do participate in them; however, except for occa- sional excursions and weekends spent at home, campus life is all the residents have. While there is nothing wrong with this, it can get boring. Commuters have the best of both worlds, for they can participate in campus events and have an easier access to outside opportunities. At the end of a long day, the commuters can go home and have a quiet meal at home, go to the movies, go shop- ping, visit friends, study in their own room, or just spend time with their families. Now that we have examined the different aspects of commuterism, the question still remains. Do com- muters lead as fulfilling college lives as do the resident students? Why don ' t you ask the students in your classes, the students in musical organizations and fraternities and sororities, or the students who par- ticipate in athletic activities? Com- muters participate in all areas of col- lege activities. The commuters I in- terviewed feel the answer is obvious. One senior commuter answered in this manner, I feel I have had as fulfilling college career as any col- lege student could have, whether they are a resident or a commuter. The important point about having a satisfying college career is that the student study hard and participate in as many activities as their grades will permit. The most important aspect of a fulfilling college life, whether you are a commuter or not, is to enjoy your studies as well as your other college activities. — Anne Eberly ■V ' gf 23

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(cont ' d from p. 24) Thanksgiving vacation, but the times really moves quickly along. The freshman begins to feel a part of the community and realizes that college is really a fun, worthwhile experience. Michelle Grube stated, Being a freshman is sometimes lonely and over- whelming, but you have to keep in mind that it ' s just a stepping stone to the future. Perhaps Lisa Gary summed it up best when she said, It ' s a great experience — you only ever do it once. -Amy Himmelberger The freshmen year offers opportunities to get to another each other through shared classroom experiences with pro- fessors, an eagerness to learn together in laboratories and |ust a willingness to ac- tivate a network of friends. 25