Gearing up for the New Year: A Word to Incoming Freshmen

的 2022-2023 academic year is right around the corner! Even though classes begin on Monday, 8月29日, the campus is alive and busy, preparing on all levels to welcome new and returning students home. Leading up to the start of the semester, the news team will highlight various campus resources to show new students (and remind returning students of) the many ways HSU prepares them for success.

Making the transition from home to college is not as easy as it sounds. A few months ago, I was a first-year student just like you! With a successful first year behind me, I thought I could share some friendly advice with you.

As an international student, 我必须穿越11英里,000km (or almost 7000 miles if you don’t use metric) away from my family. Like you may be, I was extremely nervous because I had never been so far away from home.

Here’s the thing, you will be fine. As cliché as this may sound, it is nothing but the truth. A few weeks after leaving home, I began to feel homesick and believed I was not going to get through the semester, let alone my first year in college. 你猜怎么着? 我做到了! 如果我能，你也能.

Hardin-Simmons University has set up mechanisms to empower you (and every other student) with the tools and traits to handle any problem you may have, ranging from personal to academic to technological. 而且都是免费的!

ACE offers tutoring and the writing center to all students.

的 Academic Center for Enrichment (ACE) is a program created to cater to the extra educational needs of students on campus. This program offers (free) tutoring on whatever course you may be experiencing difficulties with. 写作中心, ACE的扩展, provides writing workshops for students to have their papers proofread and edited.

Getting stressed cannot be avoided. You may have to take 12 or more credit hours while being a student-athlete or member of another organization that demands your time and energy, not to mention also having a job. I would advise you to identify an outlet or a way to unwind. For me, listening to music or watching a good movie helps in reducing my stress level. It does not matter what stress outlet you choose. Go with the method that works for you.

Another pointer, don’t join an organization or club just because everyone else is. This is the time to establish your priorities and follow them. Don’t let others control your time. Make sure to participate in clubs you are interested in, or you may end up feeling overwhelmed or left out. This is a common error that freshmen make.

De-stress events are held on campus every semester around finals weeks. Events include therapy animals, yoga, massages, and more!

As undergraduate students, we get to live on campus in the residence halls. While sharing a room or bathroom may sound scary, 让我告诉你, it was one of the most formative experiences of my first year! Experiencing difficulties one way or the other is not unusual. Always feel free to reach out to your Residential Assistant (RA) whenever you experience such difficulties. Your RA is there to help you.

Finally, always remember that you are not alone on this journey. You have another family now who will do their absolute best to give you an amazing home away from home on campus. Make as many memories as you possibly can while studying hard, too. You will be amazed at how quickly time will pass! 享受每一刻.

In the meantime, follow our 许大使 on Instagram to stay in the loop of current student going-ons, and feel free to DM them with any questions!

Dear freshmen, welcome home!

一定要去看看 校园日历 to stay up-to-date with events you won’t want to miss!