By Charlotte Pompa
As the school year comes towards an end, many people are entering a new chapter of their life. SMU looks forward to welcoming their newest freshman class while bittersweetly sends their seniors off to begin their post-college journey. Although both are exciting, this transition also comes with nerves and many questions. After four years, the seniors have navigated, experienced, and perfected the typical SMU routine. So, we’ve gathered typical questions incoming freshmen have about their new beginning for the professionals to answer.
Rush:
“As a former rush chair, my advice to any incoming freshman going through rush is to just be themselves. I think that’s the most important thing for many reasons. One of them being that people are going to like you for you, and if they don’t then that’s not the house you want to be in so be unauthentically yourself and you will find yourself right where you’re supposed to be! Another piece of advice would be not to be scared or nervous . It is meant to be fun and everyone who you are talking to has been in your same exact shoes and lean on the people around you because it’s all their first time going through it too. Everyones team. We don’t want to see you fail or catch you slipping and we want the best for you too. Other small things are to be nice to everyone, have fun with it, and go where YOU feel happiest and most at home. At the end of the day authenticity is key in the whole process.“ – Olivia Fuller
Making Friends:
“My biggest advice for incoming freshmen is to make friends wherever you go. Whether it’s your dorm floor, your classes, or your favorite coffee shop, having friendly, familiar faces in all aspects of your college life will make your experience that much better.” – Elizabeth Sexton
“One thing is I wish I knew that no matter where you ended up on campus, you would truly find your people but that it would take time. I wish I knew to just be patient because I would then end up exactly where I needed to be & surrounded by the best people.” – Alex De La Mora
Building Resume:
“My biggest piece of advice is to start building your resume early on. Don’t be afraid to get involved your freshman year and try out a bunch of different campus organizations until you find some you are passionate about. I think the earlier the better and it shows your passion and ambition. I got into SMU Look my sophomore year and it was an incredible opportunity that allowed me to take on a leadership position and grow in the organization.” – Emma Glaser
Extracurriculars:
“I wish I knew how busy it really was going to be when joining all the extracurriculars that I’m currently in bc once you’re doing it you kinda gotta stick to it which I think makes it a great lesson for future employment ship.” – Meighan Ashford
Classes:
“Take your basic breadths online over the summer if you can—it frees up your schedule so you can take the niche, random classes during the semester that actually interest you. And don’t be afraid to do things alone—some of the best experiences start that way.” – Ella Miller
Homesickness:
“Homesickness is never something I dealt with prior to college. I took a gap year before freshman year so I was used to being away. However, for some reason my fall semester I struggled with missing home. The best advice I could give to help navigate that is to keep yourself busy. Find people to pass your time with, make plans to go to the dining hall with new friends. The worst thing you can do is surround yourself with others who are also homesick as you will ultimately just feed off of each other and make it worse. Just know you are not alone, the feeling passes, and adjusting to the college lifestyle is a different process for everyone.” – Gabbie Kaplinsky
Enjoying Your Time:
“If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be this: get involved and be present. Every conversation you have, every organization you join, every connection you make — it all matters more than you realize. You leave an impact on the people around you, even when you don’t know it. The friendships, mentors, and experiences you build along the way at SMU will shape your college experience into something unforgettable. Don’t wait for the perfect moment — show up and be genuine. Four years go faster than you think, but the relationships you build will stay with you long after.” – Betty James Thomas
Although transitions are always nerve wracking, new beginnings make room for new places, friends, and memories. The SMU LOOK staff congratulates the graduating class on their successes. We look forward to seeing what you achieve!
