Homesickness, making new friends and learning the hard way not to throw your red socks in the wash with your new white sheets.
It’s the first week back at college, and Ball State’s biggest freshman class in decades is adjusting to their new lives. The Daily News caught up with new freshman across campus to see how their first week at Ball State went.
Victoria Simerman, social work major
"I feel like the campus is a lot bigger than it seemed on college visits," Simerman said. "But so far it’s been great. I’m making a lot of friends."
Julian Magana, telecommunications major
"It’s a big change going from the high school to a college atmosphere," Magana said. "You have to become accustomed to the culture you’re around. But everybody’s open and friendly, and it’s really nice to have that experience on campus."
Troy Pickett, computer information systems major
"I didn’t really know what to expect coming here, but college has been a blast so far," Pickett said.
Matthew Moeller, criminal justice major
"I’ve got a few professors who don’t believe in homework so that’s awesome," Moeller said. "I expected to be sitting in a library for five hours a day and that hasn’t happened yet, thankfully. Plus, it’s been nice not having my mom telling me what I can and can’t do."
Cassie Mikulich, international business and Spanish major
"I thought it would be a lot more nerve-wracking to be in college classes compared to high school classes, but they’re pretty much the same," Mikulich said. "You just have more time for yourself and you have more responsibility to use that time wisely."
Michael Hedrick, telecommunication major
"The professors are more honest, I think, and they’re going off of their own beliefs and knowledge to teach, rather than just making sure they meet a state standard," Hedrick said.
Amy Jennings, accounting major
"The first few days when I got here I was really homesick, but when classes started and I found some people to hang out with, I started to get on a schedule and everything got easier," Jennings said. "Now I’m just having a good time being able to choose what I want to do where I want to do it, and where I want to go without having to wait for a certain time or ask permission."
Jackson Schoettle, zoology major
"Move-in weekend was rough because it was kind of lonely, but some of my friends wanted to get lunch and I’ve been hanging out a lot since and it’s been a lot better," Shoettle said. "So far it’s a mix of hard work and fun."
Ashley Seyford, telecommunications major
"I’m expecting to go home at the end of the day but my home is now my dorm," Seyford said. "I have experienced being homesick and wanting to go back home, but a lot of it is just adapting to living next to people that I don’t know that well."
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