Whether this is your first week at college or your 60th, it never hurts to hear some advice from those who have come before you in your Orange journey! Before they graduated in May, three Class of 2025 alumni shared some words of wisdom to take with you into the 2025-26 academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Majors:<\/strong> Magazine Journalism and English and Textual Studies<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am so grateful for my four years at Syracuse University! It would be impossible to articulate everything I\u2019ve learned throughout my time here. Here are a few tips, though, that I wish I could share with my first-year self.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your college experience is yours<\/em>, not anyone else\u2019s. Comparing your grades or your friends or your involvement on campus to the people around you is a trap. One of the most exciting things about being on a college campus is the freedom to make your own decisions and figure out what you like. Be confident in what you enjoy and the things you\u2019re interested in because they make you who you are! Just because your college experience might be different from somebody else\u2019s does not<\/em><\/strong> make it any less valuable; it\u2019s simply different, and that is OK!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everybody has moments at college that are, honestly, not fun. Whether it\u2019s an issue with school or friends or a club you\u2019re involved in, you are bound to have experiences that aren\u2019t what you anticipated. When going through these moments, remember that whatever you are dealing with will pass. It\u2019s OK to feel disillusioned with college. It\u2019s OK if your four years here aren\u2019t the best four years of your life. Sometimes, that can be a tough pill to swallow. But if you enter your time at Syracuse with a positive perspective, everything will work out. You will end up exactly where you are meant to be!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Focus on the good during your time at Syracuse. There is so much opportunity in store for you here! Try new things. Talk to new people. Do things that scare you. Embrace the fact that you don\u2019t know everything. You\u2019re here to learn! Prioritize the people and the activities that bring you joy, and the rest will follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Major:<\/strong> Communications Design<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I first got to Syracuse, I didn\u2019t know where to start. It\u2019s been a wild ride, and honestly, I\u2019m a very different person now because of this place\u2014the people I met, the experiences I had and everything I stumbled into along the way. If I had to break it down, here\u2019s what sticks out the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re going to make mistakes. You\u2019re going to have moments where you realize you didn\u2019t know as much as you thought you did. That\u2019s a good thing! Some of the best lessons you\u2019ll learn won\u2019t come from a lecture hall\u2014they\u2019ll come from late-night conversations, club meetings, even just sitting around in your dorm talking with friends. Stay curious. Listen more than you talk. Be open to learning from everyone around you. College isn\u2019t just about getting a degree; it\u2019s about expanding how you see the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s easy to feel like you have to do it all\u2014join every club, go to every party, add a minor, stack your resume sky-high. But honestly? You don\u2019t need to. Focus on a few things that really<\/em> matter to you and put your energy there. Protect your time and your mental health. And seriously, take care of yourself during those brutal winters. Seasonal depression is a real thing. During the fall semester of my first year, a professor told our class to buy vitamin D for the winter (I didn\u2019t, and am not saying you should, but it\u2019s real, y’all). Find small routines that make you feel human, whether that\u2019s hitting the gym at the Barnes Center at The Arch, grabbing coffee on Marshall Street, or even just calling someone from home. Little things add up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Go watch the leaves change on the Quad in the fall (and enjoy that grass while you can see it!). Slide down the hill in front of Crouse College. Stay up late talking about ridiculous things with your friends. Go to a football game at the Dome, even if you don\u2019t know anything about sports, then post on Instagram how you\u2019re Sean Tuckers’ biggest fan (he used to play here). It\u2019s these small, random moments that are going to stick with you the most when you look back, believe me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Four years sounds like forever when you\u2019re starting out. But take it from me\u2014it flies by faster than you can imagine. Some days will be amazing. Some days will be hard. Both are part of it. Be kind to yourself, trust the process and stay open to where this journey takes you. Syracuse is messy, beautiful, freezing, exciting\u2014and if you let it, it\u2019ll shape you into exactly who you\u2019re supposed to become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Good luck\u2014and enjoy every minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Major:<\/strong> Communications Design<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I first got to Syracuse, I had no idea what I was doing. Everyone seemed to have it together, but trust me, we were all figuring it out as we went. Looking back after graduation, there are a few things I wish I\u2019d known earlier. So, here\u2019s some advice from someone who\u2019s been through it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Literally. Make conversation with the person next to you in class. Go to that event you\u2019re invited to, even if you\u2019re not sure it\u2019s your thing. Try to go to most, if not all, of the things you\u2019re invited to. You never know who might end up becoming your best friend!<\/p>\n\n\n\n On that note: it\u2019s OK to have friends come and go. The college experience is all about finding yourself and figuring out where you truly belong. Sometimes that means outgrowing people, shifting priorities or just naturally drifting apart. Although it can hurt, I promise your years at Syracuse University will steer you in the right direction, even if the path seems unclear at times. Trust the process. It will all work out in the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are over 300 Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) and it feels so good to be part of something. No matter how niche your passion might be, you’re bound to find someone who shares it! And if you can\u2019t find a club that clicks, you have the option to create your own organization, which is honestly so awesome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes it feels like Syracuse University is the only place you can be or do anything at, but I really encourage you to explore outside of it. There\u2019s so much more in the area that\u2019s worth checking out.1. Don\u2019t Compare Your Experience With Others<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Focus on Perspective<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tips From Santiago Noblin ’25<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Be OK With Being Wrong<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Stay Grounded<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Appreciate the Little Things<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tips From Isabella Bertr\u00e1n ’25<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Talk to Everyone<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Get Involved<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Step Outside the Syracuse University Bubble<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In the fall, I highly recommend going to Beak and Skiff for apple picking with your friends and grabbing some of their delicious apple cider donuts. It\u2019s also a super cute photo opportunity! While the weather\u2019s still warm, spend an afternoon at Green Lakes State Park, which is easily one of the most beautiful and serene places I\u2019ve ever visited. Whether you want to swim, hike or just relax, it\u2019s the perfect escape. Even if the weather starts getting chilly, it\u2019s still worth going just for the sights!<\/p>\n\n\n\n