Unlike the upperclassmen at Winthrop University, the freshman class has yet to experience a normal fall semester. Despite all the obstacles, they are still striving to be great students. Even with the struggles of the
pandemic, these students still seek out the “freshman experience” in their own way. Many first-year students are just happy that they have gotten a chance to even be on campus.
Freshman biology major Gwen Krauss said, “I feel really lucky to be on campus right now, and while it’s not what I had hoped, I’m in the STEM Scholars pro- gram so I’m getting face to face interaction I’d be lacking this year. Overall, I’m thankful for the opportunity I’ve been given and I’ll make the most of it.”
While the pandemic has affected her class the most, these students are still hoping to find their place and, as Krauss said, “make my mark here.”
Normally, students are able to make many of their college friends in-person at the events that Winthrop would usually hold, but because of the pandemic this year, many freshmen had to step out of their comfort zone to meet people virtually.
“I’m a part of a program that gets me interacting with people in person, a way that some can’t get right now, so I’m really glad that while most of my classes are online, which sucks, I still get to interact with people. ACAD is fun and I’ve met some awesome people there too,” Krauss said.
Classes like ACAD 101 have helped the students interact with each other on another level. Student organizations have also played a large role in improving the freshman experience.
While many of the meetings have been held online, Winthrop is still managing to encourage freshmen to take part in these organizations. Krauss has joined some organizations herself, including “the STEM scholars program, a future health professional group, and a Disney club.”
For freshman dance major Steffan Mayrides, meeting new people was never a problem. His freshman experience has been great. He even said, “It has been amazing. I knew a plethora of people coming in so I never faced an awkward moment.”
The expectation of coming into college for the first time can be really stressful for some freshmen. But as they have begun to settle into college, some realize that the college experience is better than what they think.
“It was way better. I’ve made great friends and have the freedom to see them every day,” Mayrides said.
For Mayrides, COVID-19 has changed the way he has begun his freshman year. “I contracted the virus in July and was not symp- tom-free until two weeks before moving onto campus. My lungs will start to hurt after walking around too much and my heart will send constant pains if I exercise or dance too much,” he said.
The virus has affected him in many ways. He even talks about how “walking used to never be an issue,” but now that his “lungs are weaker than they used to be” he sometimes has to be sure to take breaks to “regain the strength to keep going.”
The freshman experience is all about being able to succeed academically while still getting to know the school better through the people around them. Many first-year students have been able to begin accomplishing their goals as a college student despite the obstacles they have faced. With the support of Winthrop, these freshmen will be able to succeed in many ways and continue to fulfill their freshman experience.
Photo by Jamia Johnson
