Back in January, The Daily spoke with five early decision admits about their expectations for the school year. Eight months later, we followed up to hear how these freshmen spent their first weeks on campus and how their experience compared to what they envisioned in January.
Medill freshman Jordyn Jones said she’s been energized by the diversity on campus, something she looked forward to when she was admitted.
Jones said she recently joined For Members Only, Northwestern’s Black Student Alliance, which was a valuable community in her transition to college
“It’s so mind-blowing to me because I came from such a predominantly white space,” Jones said. “To come here and not be the only Black person in my class is super cool for me because I’ve never been in an environment like that.”
After picturing herself at NU since sixth grade, Jones said it feels surreal to be at her dream school.
Like Jones, Weinberg freshman Marni Kim said she was excited to connect with NU’s Korean American community when she spoke to The Daily in January.
Now that she’s on campus, Kim said she has enjoyed meeting people from all over the world, a sharp contrast to her hometown in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
“I’m not only getting in touch with my roots, but also learning about other people’s cultures,” Kim said.
For Weinberg freshman Ruonan Zhao, she said competitive club recruitment has taken up much of her first two weeks at NU.
After reaching the final round of a business fraternity, Zhao described the process as demanding, involving four to five coffee chats in addition to group and individual interviews.
“Everyone is doing the same clubs and applications,” Zhao said. “Sometimes it gets kind of dejecting when it’s rejection after rejection.”
Zhao said she was eager to get involved with The Garage, an entrepreneurial community at NU. But with club recruitment already taking up much of her time, she said she will wait to join The Garage.
Zhao said advice from an upperclassman helped inform her decision.
“An upperclassman said that winter is kind of depressing, so do something that you find fun or enjoy,” Zhao said.
Other students said they’ve been inspired by the academic atmosphere. Communication freshman Jack McCullough said he has enjoyed meeting classmates and professors who share his passion for the arts.
“I see a lot more people who seem to really believe in what they’re studying and what they’re doing,” McCullough said. “I find that kind of ambition and motivation very inspiring.”
McCullough also said he admires how passionate his professors are and how they make a conscious effort to connect with their students.
In January, McCullough said he was excited to get involved with the comedy scene at NU. Now, he’s getting ready to audition for clubs, particularly in the comedy, theater and improv scenes on campus.
Being surrounded by classmates who are passionate about both academics and the arts is something Weinberg freshman Ryan Zhuang has looked forward to since the beginning of this year.
Zhuang said he appreciates the NU community, which is different from his hometown in Calgary, Alberta, where he said he found it hard to connect with other peers.
“Northwestern was my dream school, so it’s really nice that everything worked out and everybody is so nice,” Zhuang said. “I can strike up a conversation with somebody, and they would be happy to talk to me. It’s just such a positive environment.”
Email: christineshin2028@u.northwestern.edu
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