Making the transition from high school to college can be intimidating on its own, but making that transition amid a pandemic can be downright frightening.
After finding out that a majority of their classes would be online for the fall semester, incoming freshmen are now faced with the challenge of navigating a non-traditional college experience.
Although attending college is meant to bring students out of their comfort zones, kinesiology freshman Jacqueline Rojas said she wasn’t surprised to see her classes move online for yet another semester.
“It wasn’t hard to hear that my classes had been moved online because at the end of my senior year, all my classes were online,” Rojas said. “I didn’t really expect for all of our classes to be face-to-face.”
Because of the uncertainty brought on by COVID-19, Rojas said she isn’t arriving in Aggieland with high expectations for what her semester may look like, but she is still setting small goals for herself.
“I don’t have many expectations because COVID-19 has stopped everything,” Rojas said. “But I still expect to have some in-person classes and a little stress. But a goal is to go to all of my classes and make at least one friend in each of them.”
As a hands-on learner, agriculture communication and journalism freshman Grace Hoegemeyer said she is disappointed her classes will be online, forcing her to work harder at building both academic and social relationships.
“I’m expecting myself to have to go even more out of my way to make friends and make memories since I won’t be meeting a lot of people in my classes,” Hoegemeyer said. “I wanted the experience of going to my college classes.”
Although move-in day is known to be a little hectic, Hoegemeyer said she’s looking forward to finally being in College Station, even with all of the new requirements to ensure the safety of those moving in.
“I think for me, moving in will be pretty smooth because my roommate and I are already making plans on what to bring, what to buy and more,” Hoegemeyer said. “It could get hectic though because we each have a lot of friends and family that have signed up to help us move in.”
History freshman Charlie King said although she won’t get what most would describe as a typical college experience, her main goal is to get involved and make as many friends as she can given the circumstances.
“I want to thrive academically but socially as well,” King said. “It is important to put myself out there and I think that alone will provide me with a really wonderful college experience. I’m a planner and with everything going the way it is, I’ve had to remind myself that this is a learning process for everyone, not just me.”
If students find themselves struggling with their transition to college, Texas A&M Counseling and Psychological Services provides goal-oriented practices to help address student concerns and mental health issues.