By Gionna Bean, Opinion Editor
Caffeine gets many students through their day – Photo by Gionna Bean
Starting college is an exciting milestone that also comes with its fair share of challenges. From managing rigorous coursework and balancing social life to handling financial pressures and adjusting to newfound independence, students often face hurdles that test their resilience. Students around Aquinas College share their stories and offer strategies that helped them navigate this transformative journey successfully.
The first year of college can be overwhelming—adjusting to life without close friends from home, learning to build new relationships, and coping with homesickness after leaving family. Navigating the social landscape of college presents its own unique challenges.
“Coming into college I thought that it would be easy to make connections but since I was in the block I felt like I wasn’t really part of the AQ community,” sophomore Cristiana Worthams said. “Some of my friends had completely different schedules than I did, so it was hard to hang out sometimes.” Worthams joined multiple clubs and organizations to get involved, including theatre. They accepted her, and she is still in theatre today.
Clubs and organizations are a way for many students to get involved. Clubs like the Writer’s Guild and Kpop Club are always looking for new members. According to the Aquinas website, “The Registered Student Organization (RSO) Program at Aquinas College provides students the opportunity to gather with their peers to build community around shared interests, hobbies, areas of study, and much more. The Student Activities & Orientation office works to provide students the tools to create meaningful experiences and innovative programming that promotes co-curricular learning, personal and leadership development, and community engagement.”
Other struggles stem from balancing multiple responsibilities. Freshmen often battle to keep up with schoolwork while working and playing sports at the same time.
Time management can be hard for college students – Photo by Gionna Bean
Junior Ian Clapp works at the East Grand Rapids High School pool and swims for AQ Swim and Dive. “The hardest part for me has to be the time management,” Clapp said. “It’s hard being an athlete, having a job and on top of that I have to get all of my work done on time.”
Of course, there are many more specific challenges that students grapple with day to day, but each struggle boils down to the intense change from high school to college. Though the switch is jarring at first, the resources at Aquinas provide some relief.
The Saint 