We asked a few recent grads who spent their time working on the Student Experience Division Communications team what advice they wish they knew earlier.
From four years in the College of Visual and Performing Arts to a fast-paced one-year master’s at Newhouse School, their paths looked different. But looking back, the lessons they took with them were a lot more similar than you’d expect.
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
For Ella Ross ’26, a College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) graduate, the biggest shift was learning to stay in her own lane. She reflected on how easy it is to compare your experience to everyone around you. Whether it be academically, socially, even personally and how quickly that can take away from your own growth. What she came to realize is that everyone’s figuring it out at their own pace, and the more you focus on your own path, the more you actually get out of it.
Get Involved, Even if You’re Unsure
That idea of not having everything figured out also came up across the board. Ella emphasized that college isn’t meant to be perfectly planned; it’s a space to try things, fail, pivot and grow. “Lean into it. Use it as fuel to explore what you’re good at, what lights you up and what kind of person you want to become,” she said.
For Nora Benko ’26, also a VPA graduate, that uncertainty showed up early on. She described coming into Syracuse feeling overwhelmed by the number of opportunities, to the point where it was almost paralyzing. At first, she kept her focus mostly on classes and struggled to find a sense of connection. She shared, “By my junior year, I was balancing multiple roles, leadership positions, a demanding major — and genuinely thriving. It can be scary at times, but you really do rise to the occasion when you challenge yourself. Joining student organizations, going to events and putting herself out there shifted her entire experience. What once felt overwhelming became exciting and through that, she found a real sense of belonging on campus.
That same theme carried over into Julia Seitz’s G’26 experience as a Newhouse School master’s student. With only one year on campus, she leaned into everything outside the classroom, from working in social media marketing for the Student Experience Division as a Graduate Assistant for the Communications team, to teaching cycling classes at the Barnes Center at The Arch. For her, getting involved wasn’t just about staying busy, it was about building community and gaining real-world experience at the same time.
Across all three experiences, one message was clear: involvement changes everything. Whether it’s a club, a job or something completely new, saying yes to opportunities can open doors you didn’t even know were there. Nora pointed out that the moments she almost didn’t go for ended up being the ones that shaped her the most, proving that growth often comes from stepping outside your comfort zone.
Prioritize Balance
At the same time, they all emphasized the importance of balance. Prioritizing mental health, building a strong support system and being intentional about the people you surround yourself with. It all plays a huge role in shaping your experience. “At the risk of sounding like a mom, I’ll say this; none of this works without a strong foundation. Prioritize your mental health, it impacts everything else. When your mental health suffers, your physical health often follows, and both will start to affect every part of your life,” Nora said.
Looking back, the biggest takeaway isn’t about doing everything perfectly, it’s about being present while it’s happening. “College will hand you some of the highest highs and some of the lowest lows you’ve ever experienced. There will be moments that feel impossible and moments that are some of the best of your life,” Ella shared. She grew in ways she never expected and those changes ultimately shaped her into someone she’s proud of.
There’s no one way to do Syracuse, but if there’s one thing these grads made clear, it’s to start where you are, stay open and try things while you’re here.
Written by Nora Benko ’26 College of Visual and Performing Arts, Ella Ross ’26 College of Visual and Performing Arts, Julia Seitz G’26 S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications