First Six Weeks at Gonzaga

First Six Weeks at Gonzaga

By: Kelly Alvarado

The first semester of college is one of the biggest anticipated transitions our students will face in their lives. Our goal is to help them transition in, through and out of this time while figuring out who they are, making new friendships and excelling in college level courses. New Student Orientation provides an overview of all the opportunities for students. The first six weeks are their exploratory time. After six weeks, students should feel more secure in seeing Gonzaga as their home, developing strong relationships and succeeding in academics.

 

Here is a freshmen student’s reflection on her first six weeks:

Annabeth Guzman is a first-year nursing student from Pasco, Washington.

During New Student Orientation, I was very emotional having to say goodbye to my parents and hello to a whole new life for myself… all within a few days. To say the least, I wasn’t the happiest camper with so many changes happening so fast. However, within the first week my experience flipped 180 degrees. With the beginning of my classes, I was back to what I knew best — school work. From the start, every professor stressed that they were there for us students, and wanted us to take advantage of their office hours whenever we felt overwhelmed or confused with the material. Each of my professors cared that I succeeded in their course. With my focus turning to my classes and coursework, I was feeling less homesick.

The hardest part in the beginning was not having the support group of friends and family I had built back home. I often felt alone and in turn anxious. I began to find my niche and new group of friends in the residence halls, classes and student groups. With the new friends I had acquired, my anxiety soon lessened. With the addition of great friends, new problems arose: balancing a healthy social life with my studies. I overcame this by setting aside separate time for both studies and friends. By doing this I was able to accomplish both.

In addition, some struggles were learning what my true morals and values were. Back home, it was easy to have the same morals and values as my parents. However, when I moved to Gonzaga, I was faced with the challenge of evaluating my decisions based on the foundation built by my family of right or wrong. The greatest struggle was realizing some of my choices were very different than some of the people around me. This was most evident when my peers tried pressuring me to do things that did not align with my values. Nevertheless, sticking to what was important to me taught me to build discipline and self-control.

I guess these are all life lessons we have to learn when we leave home, and I happened to learn them here at Gonzaga during my first six weeks, and look forward to continuing to learn.

-Annabeth Guzman

 

When connecting with your new student, encourage him or her to reflect on how much they have grown since starting classes over eight weeks ago. If they are still unsure of where they fit, encourage them to visit Kelly Alvarado, Manager of First Year Experience Program in Crosby 110 or at firstyearexperience@gonzaga.edu. We are a resource available to help continue the transition into Gonzaga University.