I have been in close contact with my High School friend Jami who is currently a graduating senior at Roselle Catholic HS. She has given me the privilege of being her mentor in her college acceptance and decision-making process. We have been in very close contact and I was excited to hear that she has decided to come to Rutgers for the upcoming fall semester. Given her enthusiasm about college and the many conversations we have had, I decided that she would be great to interview about some of the many things that excite and startle her about becoming a first-year college student.
Here are some excerpts from our conversation:
Q: What made you decide to attend Rutgers?
A: Well, Rutgers is close to home, although not too close, and I really like the feeling that I got from Rutgers during the times that I have visited the campus.
Q: Do you have any fears about coming to a large university like Rutgers?
A: Actually I do, coming from a private school, I have never had a large amount of kids in my school or classes. I don't know how easy it will be for me to get used to the large environment at Rutgers and I hope I will be able to meet people easily.
Q: Do you think you will be able to handle the responsibility that comes with the new independence you will gain in college?
A: I am kind of nervous about the independence. My parents won't be there to tell me to do my homework on time or to make sure I get a good night's rest. Hopefully I can learn to manage my time and work well enough to have a good freshman year.
We continued to talk about some of the things that have her both enthusiastic and nervous about college. It seemed that her biggest fear was Rutgers' reputation as a large school. I assuaged some of her anxieties by explaining that although Rutgers is a big school (campus & population), it provides a small environment that makes it comfortable to each of its students. One thing I stressed was involvement in the university on many aspects such as, an on-campus job, volunteer work, academic and social clubs, sports, and other day-today activities that she may encounter. Soon, she was convinced that involvement is the key to enjoying your experience, not only at Rutgers or college, but in any aspect of life.
We continued to talk about some of the things that have her both enthusiastic and nervous about college. It seemed that her biggest fear was Rutgers' reputation as a large school. I assuaged some of her anxieties by explaining that although Rutgers is a big school (campus & population), it provides a small environment that makes it comfortable to each of its students. One thing I stressed was involvement in the university on many aspects such as, an on-campus job, volunteer work, academic and social clubs, sports, and other day-today activities that she may encounter. Soon, she was convinced that involvement is the key to enjoying your experience, not only at Rutgers or college, but in any aspect of life. 
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