Denson 1 Joshua Denson @02710326 Ms.

Atkins ENG 002-17 12 November 2013 Finding Success as a Freshman The freshman year of college can be a very challenging year. If students are not successful during their freshman year, it can prevent them from continuing their education. Surviving freshman year is not a mere instance of luck, rather there are several things that have to be done in order to be successful. In order to find success in the first year of college, rapport has to be established with professors, focus has to be maintained, the student has to become involved in the school, networking has to take place, and the student has to stay true to his or herself. If these steps are followed, then the student can find success in the new experience of freshman year. In order for the student to have a successful freshman year, the student has to make sure he or she builds rapport with the teacher. College is a huge transition from high school. There will be classes that may have around 500 students in it, so in order do well the student has to build a relationship with the teachers. By the student establishing that relationship, it shows that he or she truly does care about his or her education, and the teacher will value that effort. Building rapport with the teacher allows the student to receive extra help that will allow him or her to understand the content better. Another aspect of this connection is that this relationship could eventually help the students grade. If the student is right on the edge of two grades, for example, having an 89.4% in a class, and if the teacher knew that the student made a constant effort in the class, then there is a huge possibility that the teacher will make it so the student can
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Denson 2 earn an A in the class. It is important that the student does not underestimate the magnitude of establishing and maintaining that rapport with the teacher. Maintaining focus is a hard, yet paramount necessity for a first year college student to strive for during their freshman year. It is very easy for students to get swept up in the excitement of college, resulting in less effort being put into their academics. College moves fast and students do not have yearlong classes, which allows them more time to maintain good grades. Some classes only meet once a week, so if students are not performing well in class, it will leave them with less time to improve their grades. Also, there will always be an opportunity to participate in functions on campus, such as clubs, parties, socializing, games, and just an overall sense of school spirit that can consume a first year student. The student has to remain focused on getting his or her work done first, then having fun, in order to earn the grades that he or she desires. An often overlooked task that a freshman student needs to achieve is to become involved in school. Being involved in school cannot be stressed enough. As students move forward in life into their separate endeavors, they need to compete for jobs or to get into graduate school. Students have to be marketable in order to be competitive in the real world. In the world today, you have to have college degrees to even be considered for jobs. This is without saying that students need to have more worth than just a degree in order to be competitive for these same jobs. For instance, even McDonalds is starting to implicate the new rule that employees must have at least a GED unless they are still in high school. This shows that students going into the workforce, or even continuing their education need to have more to offer than just a college education. Students should also have a more holistic appeal. This is important for freshmen to know so they can get involved early and also to keep them balanced. Even though students need

Denson 3 to put their grades first, they also need to find that balance of fun to motivate them through their studies. Becoming involved in the school provides these avenues. There are sports, both club and varsity that students can play in. There are also many different types of clubs, activities, organizations, and events that are available to the students. This involvement balances students and also can come back and benefit them later in life. Networking as a freshman is the key to both immediate and long-term success. It isnt always about what you know, but who you know. Freshmen have to understand that there are going to be things in life that they will not understand and areas in life they have no experience in. However, there is someone that is an expert in that area; it is simply the students job to seek that expert. As a freshman it is vital to make connections with others, both peers and their elders. Students can use the connections they have made with others as a resource in order to do better in the class. If a student is struggling with a certain class, there might be an upper classman that can tutor the student in that subject area. Acquiring a connection with a faculty member, club advisor, or organization leader will also lead to a freshmans success. If the student would ever run into problems at the school, like not having housing, the students mentor might be able to work things out with the school due to the fact that the mentor has more power than the student. These same networks can even go as far as getting the student a job or an internship later on in that students life. It is very essential for the student to network with others so that the student can have an effective first year. Of all the keys to having success during the freshman year of college, staying true to who the student is, is the most significant. Often times students come to college their first year and lose who they are. The student cannot afford to do this. Students need to understand that whatever they were doing that brought them success up to that point, they should continue to do.

Denson 4 Too many times freshmen lose the values that they have been taught their whole lives. Whether the student was raised to be honest, or raised not to miss class, the student must continue living these values. If the student had a strong religious background, then the student should keep that same background. The students cannot cast away the things they have relied on up to this point that brought them success. Staying true to oneself entails both continuing to do the things that have aided the student to this point, and also the student having faith that by doing these things, they will continue to be successful. Effectively surviving freshman year of college can be a very taxing. Enduring the challenge that is freshman year is not by chance, but rather there are several things that have to be done in order for the student to accomplishment his or her goals. In order to find success in the first year of college, rapport has to be established with professors, focus has to be maintained, the student has to become involved in the school, networking has to take place, and the student has to stay true to his or herself. If these steps are achieved, then the student can easily and efficiently have a successful freshman year of college.