Freshman Fireside: First week of school

What a week it has been. As a freshman at UNC Charlotte, we not only survived move in day, but we also carried on through a lot of new challenges in our first week as college students.

Let’s start off by agreeing that the so called “professional movers” during move-in may have needed a little more experience in the work field.

Claiming your dorm and organizing your possessions might have became an all night job as lines of cars waited to unload. Many of us over packed, while others found they needed to buy a thing or two.

The journey up the elevators and many flights of stairs to one of the freshmen high rises will not be your last hike on campus. In fact, over the course of this week most of us have walked more than we had in any high school setting. Let’s fight off the freshmen fifteen together, shall we?

Which brings us to food and the “variety” of choices on campus. The Resident Dining Hall may not be large, but it sure has been convenient, as it’s located fairly close to all four high rises.

Many of us have shared a meal and made new friends while getting a taste of the menu for the rest of the semester. Then there is Bojangles’, Chick-fil-A and maybe even Starbucks if you’re a coffee drinker.

Be careful, the dining hall food may not be the best, but your declining balance will dwindle right before your eyes.

As the week progressed, we were able to notice the campus hot spots and the value of free food, no matter the occasion. The social encounters this week have been plentiful and welcoming.

Hopefully most of us have met many great new people, especially our roommates. Compromises and patience will be a requirement as we build a community within our halls.

For all those who made this week about partying and going out, let’s not forget the purpose of college: getting an education. Whether you showed up on time bright and early or perhaps a little bit late, professors were understanding and there to help.

There were no lack of assignments. Was anyone else caught up in line after line for textbooks and other supplies?

Staying up late and getting up for 8 a.m. classes didn’t seem like an issue for some freshmen, but best of luck to you as the first week hype dies down into a weekly grind of classes and college level study.

The best advice would be to pace yourself and take the time to enjoy all the beauty this campus has to offer, while managing your workload and time accordingly.

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Category: Columns, Freshman Fireside, Niner Times, Opinion