Freshman Advice

The summer before coming to Wazzu my mind was filled with so many thoughts and worries– what to pack, with whom I would be living, how hard my classes would be (or where they were for that matter), if I would adjust well to living on my own and the list goes on. I was wrapped up enough in my own worries about starting my life on my own that I had little time for thoughts about anything else. But it was during this time that I learned one important life lesson—that people love giving their own tidbits of advice out. It doesn’t matter whether or not you want to hear it or are even seeking out advice, people want to share their insight with you.

So it was during these three months of pre-Wazzu jitters that I was absolutely bombarded with advice from nearly everyone around me. Most advice centered around how best to allocate my time or how to not get lost on the way to classes. I tried to take in as much as I could but with so many people throwing ideas at me it was nearly impossible to absorb it all. So by the time I finally moved to Pullman and began the rigorous process of sorority recruitment all that advice was completely gone from my mind. It wasn’t until the day before classes began and one of my newly-found sorority sisters was discussing helpful tips for freshman that I got the one piece of advice that I believe has fully changed my college career:

“It’s going to feel awkward and make you feel silly because no one else will be doing it, but go introduce yourself to all your professors. Shake their hands, say your name, and ask them a question. Do that and the rest of your semester will be incredibly easier.”

Now to me this was awkward and it for sure felt goofy, but being as the rest of the advice I had “learned” had been thrown out the window, I decided to put aside my fears and do just as I was told. The following Monday I met all my professors and have been doing so on the first day of every semester ever since.

Introducing yourself to your professors sets the stage for the rest of the year for them to recognize you both on a more personal basis and as a student who takes initiative. I can’t count the amount of times that I’ve struggled on an assignment or done less than stellar on a test and when I’ve gone to talk to my professor have been given some leeway simply because the professor knows me. From that point in the semester forward you will be regarded with more respect than your counterparts which is a great accomplishment as an undergrad. While many ideas will be thrown your way, remember this and you won’t be let down.