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June 21, 2007

And Here They Come

Incoming freshmen anticipate hopes, worries of college experience

Story by: Cassie Smith

The Shorthorn Scene editor

The Shorthorn: Kyle Clothier

Incoming freshman Amber Harris walks in front of Hammond Hall during a campus tour Monday. After touring the university, Harris said, “Compared to where I’ve been, it seems really nice and so pretty, very up to date.”

As Amber Harris walked slowly through the packed room, squeezing her way between equally lost freshmen, her eyes searched the numerous booths for something with leadership opportunities.

“I’ve never been so ready for anything in my life,” she said.

Having been class president of her high school, Amber said she thrives in positions of leadership.

Her parents, Iris and Ray, arrived later searching for their daughter. However, the area was packed with students and representatives from each organization’s booths.

“I knew when I walked in here she would be at a leadership table,” Iris said. “Look where she is. She is right in her element.”

Standing in front of the Freshmen Leaders on Campus booth, Amber eagerly filled out an application during the Activities Fair for freshman orientation. Amber is one of many freshman starting their college career at the university.

Currently undeclared, Amber said she may major in broadcast communication, but knows she wants to major in something in the Communication Department.

“This is seriously just a dream job, but a talk-show host, either on radio or TV would be ideal,” she said. “I cannot wait to start college. I am so excited.”

Amber, the middle child in her family, grew up in San Antonio and was active in her high school. Her new home will be in Arlington Hall. She said she is more excited than nervous about being away from home.

Amber said she will leave her car in San Antonio because she won’t work her first year of college and she knows she will not be able to afford gas. She said she is perfectly happy with walking where she needs to be. Her biggest fear about starting college is slipping into a routine of skipping classes.

“I never even skipped classes in high school,” she said. “I know a lot of people fall into that habit in college, though.”

Amber said she is a little worried about the idea of having to share classes with juniors or seniors but more worried about being in a class of 300. She didn’t realize a class could be so large and worries how anything gets done.

“I think as long as I try, I won’t be intimidated,” she said. “We’re all here for the same reason — to leave, to graduate.”

Amber’s mother said sending her first daughter, Raven, to college was a confusing time. Enrolling Raven at the university and helping her get adjusted to college life kept Iris too busy to be sad. Raven is now a junior. Now that Iris knows the process, she said she can focus on the idea of sending her second daughter to college.

“I’m holding back the tears, no joke. I’m serious,” Iris said.

She said Amber fits perfectly with the university but is sad that her only daughter that cleans is leaving home.

“She’s going to be a great roommate,” Iris said. “She’s tidy and easy to get along with.”

Amber said her only fear about living with a roommate is that the roommate might be messy or smelly. Those are two things she said she can’t deal well with.

Amber was also accepted at the University of North Texas and Middle Tennessee State University. Many of her friends decided on UNT, but Amber thinks going to the same college as everyone else would limit her experiences.

“You don’t want to go to a school where you know everybody,” she said. “That’s not as much fun.”

The fact that the university is at least a days drive from her home in San Antonio is a plus, she said. That way her parents won’t be visiting all the time.

“Besides having freedom, I want to see how I’m going to do by myself, how I will handle different situations,” she said. “I want to see how far I can push myself.”

Amber knows her parents are going to miss her a lot. She said that every day her father tells her it is OK if she just decides to stay home. Her mother cried a few times during the orientation meetings.

“It makes me feel good to know they’ll miss me, but not good enough to stay,” Amber said. “This is something you need to experience because you can’t live with your parents forever.”

Having her sister at the university will be another plus, Amber said, but it isn’t the reason she chose to come here.

“I hope we get to hang out more, but I know I’m going to make lots of friends,” she said. “I really feel good that she’s here on campus. It’s good to have somebody from home.”

Raven, a business junior, said she is pretty close to Amber and thinks the two sisters will make time to see each other. She said Amber’s biggest challenge may be adjusting to life away from home, but her advice for the incoming freshman is to not get too involved.

“She’s already crazy,” Raven said. “Hopefully she doesn’t do it too much. That’s the only thing I could ever say.”

Amber said she loves how the university is close to a large city but wishes there was a football team. She hopes to join a sorority and other organizations on campus to meet people. She said she is determined to make the most out of her college experience. This is, she said, the most exciting thing.

“I hope I don’t get too distracted,” she said. “I have to keep in mind what comes first. I just have to take it one step at a time.”