Hundreds of freshmen marched through Weber Arch this September, commencing their journey as students at Northwestern. As the air chills and the trees grow bare, Fall Quarter is drawing to a close and many freshmen are reflecting on their first few months at NU.
Weinberg freshman Alan Kanne said some of his worries from before the school year were relieved once he arrived on campus.
“I thought I would have to definitely work harder than I did in high school,” Kanne said. “I thought I’d be really busy with schoolwork.”
Kanne said his course load was a lot lighter than he anticipated and he was able to find time to explore his other interests, like exercising.
Other students like Weinberg freshman Emmy Lev said they found the workload to be consistent with their initial expectations.
“It’s a top 20 school,” she said. “I figured it (was) going to be a lot of work and we’re going to have to work hard.”
Lev noted that despite the often challenging workload, she found that her new friends helped support her in her academic growth.
Learning to manage academics goes hand-in-hand with adjusting to the quarter system, which Lev said she simultaneously loved and hated.
“It’s much more fast-paced than some other schools are,” Lev said. “It’s a blessing and a curse. But, it’s not the end of the world.”
For Lev, the quarter system comes with ample positives, like the ability to take more classes and make the most of her college education.
McCormick freshman Max Hughes said he has experienced newfound independence on campus.
“With all the upperclassmen living off campus and the proximity to Chicago, it feels like everyone can personalize their own experience,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like you are tied to the school.”
Hughes said if he could give any advice to himself at the beginning of the quarter, he would urge himself to reach out to both his professors and peers a little more.
Weinberg freshman Gus Lambert said he would not change anything about his first quarter at the University. Instead, he said he would encourage his past self to go for new opportunities.
Like Lambert, Lev would instruct her pre-college self to make the most of every experience and to forge her own path.
“It’s important to not get caught up in all the small things,” Lev said. “Keep the big picture in focus.”
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Twitter: @SarahSerota
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