Freshman are Freshman

I teach freshman everyday. I was fortunate enough to only have the “freshman experience” one time. Even having been in ResLife I worked with upperclass students; no need to ever return to those freshman dorms again, leaving behind all the memories and the ‘person’ that resided there. Now, I am not tossing away my freshman experience into oblivion. I am simply saying that when I think of “college”, nothing of freshman year ever comes up; not to say that it is insignificant, but simply that I don’t want to remember.

Every day I am teaching students who are dealing with the struggles of being a freshman. At dinner, I hear their stories of how they feel like they do not have any friends, how they miss home. Girls can be so difficult, and each of my classes has a 1:11 male-female ratio. My girls are having a hard time getting along with one another, having a hard time fitting in.

Just so it’s clear: Chinese freshman struggle with the same exact things as American freshman. They procrastinate, they are overwhelmed by work, they are homesick, they do things to be “cool”. They too are beginning this college journey of finding their ‘identity’. 

It is neat to be a teacher and watch them begin to unveil all of this.

It is hard to be a teacher and watch them begin to unveil all of this.

And then I receive journal entries such as this that simply break my heart and motivate me to speak to these students, truly speak.

“I love all the people who love me.

I hate all the people who hate me.

It is in my heart.”