College life

Lindsay Sasser, a rising junior and student mentor at the College of Charleston, remembers the first two weeks of her freshman year as the most difficult.

She lived in New Hampshire before she headed down South for college.

"When I first came to College of Charleston, I didn't know anyone. It was a bit intimidating, but I soon made friends and found my place here," she said. Getting involved in student activities and clubs at her school, like the political science group, helped Sasser to adjust to college life.

Sarah Wilson, on the other hand, is excited about her upcoming freshman year at college. 'I'm ready to meet new people and to be independent,' she said. Presbyterian College, the school Wilson is attending, is three and a half hours from her home in Charleston. Neither she nor her parents are too worried about the distance.

Life away from all that's familiar for the first time can be an adjustment for many incomingfreshmen. It takes a little time to adapt to the exciting, fast-paced college lifestyle.

As student mentor, Sasser answers any questions freshmen may have about classes, activities or college life in general.

For the first few weeks as a freshman, Sasser admits she called home frequently. As she settled in to the college routine, she found that she didn't need to as often. To make sure she kept in touch with her mom, Sasser set up a time to call her each week, for example, 3 p.m. Wednesdays.

Because most freshmen don't want to miss a single beat of their first year, she found that it worked better if she did the calling, not her mom. By setting aside a portion of time to talk, Sasser could check in with her mother without conflict.

During her freshman year, Sasser found that Facebook was a great way to keep in touch with her friends from home. Even so, she said not to be afraid if you do lose touch with many of the people you knew in high school.

"People go their separate ways, and you can't hold anything against them for that."

Most colleges, such as the College of Charleston, offer programs and services for incoming freshmen adjusting to life away from home.

Dr. Christiana DeGregorie, licensed psychologist in Counseling and Substance Abuse Services at the College of Charleston, said she meets with freshmen for a number of issues throughout the year. This includes adjusting to college life, roommate conflicts, homesickness, time management, sleep patterns and academic difficulties.

Homesickness is normal and nothing to be ashamed of, said DeGregorie.

"It's important for students to remember they are not alone in this experience and other students likely have similar feelings."

Freshmen should understand that support is available if they need it, too.

"Colleges are overflowing with faculty, staff, and other students who are always willing to help," said DeGregorie.

The Citadel, on the other hand, has a special orientation program in the fall. For freshman cadets, the first two weeks are both mentally and physically demanding, a lot like boot camp, actually. The program includes academic orientation, military training and human affairs training.

Freshmen are not allowed to leave campus or visit home during orientation. Afterward, cadets can leave campus Thursdays through Sundays, but must be back at a certain time each night. Throughout the year, parents are invited to visit their children on campus.

Col. John Powell, director of admissions and a graduate of The Citadel, remembers the close bond that he formed with his classmates during his four years at the college.

"The shared experiences bind everyone together," he said.

Powell said that some cadets do have difficulty adjusting to the regimented lifestyle. The Citadel supervises its cadets closely, especially during the first two weeks. As a result, cadets almost always have someone to talk to if they are having trouble.

However, many cadets find they don't have time to miss home because nearly every minute of their day is scheduled. For example, freshman cadets march from class to class throughout the day, and must stand in formation before every meal.

While The Citadel's experience is certainly not for everyone, many cadets said they acquire skills they wouldn't learn at other colleges. The disciplined routine causes cadets to develop their own independence and self-responsibility.

Trident Technical College is a different story. According to David Hansen, director of public information, of its 12,763 enrolled students in fall 2008 the average age was 22. Since the students are living on their own, their adjustments are primarily academic.

Though the College of Charleston, The Citadel and Trident Tech are all very different schools, all of their incoming freshmen are faced with new experiences during their first year.

Adjusting to anything new takes time, so freshmen must be patient with themselves. Whether it's by joining a sports team or the political science club, everyone eventually finds a place at college.