Freshman year of college can be a scary time as so many questions about the unknown run through your head. 

You wonder:    “Will I pass all of my classes? Will my professors help me to get involved in my major? Well I make any good friends? Am I going to be able to pull myself out of bed in time to make it to my 9:00 a.m. class?”

The answer is a resounding “yes!”  All of it is attainable, because Ashland University is a college that strives to keep its students on the path to greatness.

In high school, I was a very successful student, so I was pretty confident that I could do well in all of my classes.  I knew the drill, work hard, do not procrastinate, and ask for help if you need it. 

And, as predicted, all of the tricks from high school still rang true in college.  In fact, I was surprised at how much everyone at Ashland wants you to succeed.  It is easy to get help from anyone at AU; if you’re struggling in a course, you can get help from your professors, from your peers, or from academic advising.

I was a bit concerned that it would be difficult to try and get involved within my major and minor.  I figured coming in as a freshman, I would have to really fight to be noticed by professors.  To my surprise, all of my professors really wanted to help me get involved.  I was able to start creating content for the AU news outlets right away for my Journalism and Digital Media major.  As a theater minor, I was also able to land parts in two of Ashland’s productions last year.

As for being able to pull myself out of bed in time for my 9:00 a.m. classes, I wish it had gotten easier, but sadly it didn’t.

Taking advantage of all that AU has to offer can be an easy task.  Getting a tutor is as easy as going online to the AU website and filling out a tutor request form.  The university also assigns you a professional academic advisor who can help you add or drop classes, change your major, or just help you manage your first year.  The best part about it is that it is all free. 

The university holds career fairs multiple times a year to help you connect with potential employers and grad schools.  They also send out weekly emails telling you about employment opportunities and on-campus events.

With these numerous resources, AU provides just the right amount of support students need throughout their first year of college.

So to all you freshman out there: Set your alarm, two if necessary, and get to class.  Go forth, conquer, make new friends, talk to your professors, and get involved.  You are going to have a great year.