By Hugo Bolanos
With college well into affect, students are full of stress and also have plenty overwhelming homework. Iowa State newcomers such as freshmen or transfer students quickly jump into the college experience. These students try to adjust to class sizes, campus life and life away from parents.
At first, new students along with returning students are not entirely sure with their major, it mostly consists with being pressured to choose what students would like to do for the rest of their lives.
One distraction about choosing a major or knowing about what to do with their lives can be class sizes, Iowa State has an average class size of 33 students. (Academics).
To some small town students, this seems like a bit of normality, but with big city students coming from nearby states (Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City) a class size of 33 sounds a bit of relief.
“The lecture hall classes are huge, but that goes into consideration with classes that all students no matter of majors need to take. Other than that coming from Chicago, I see the classes a bit less than my high school,” says Nick Mulderink, sophomore in Biochemistry.
While walking on campus, many students can see plenty of student tours going on. Iowa State looks to recruit high school seniors and transfers by showing them around campus and getting them familiar with the campus life.
“Campus life can make or break it for some colleges” says Edi Gracanin, sophmore in Kinesiology. Gracanin recently changed majors from Mechanical Engineering to Kinesiology, due to the fact that he was not “happy” with his old major. “Iowa State is cool because you can have a great school known for engineering, but then switch to Kinesiology because their program is also great” added Edi.
Gracanin told JLMC 206 that his main reasoning for changing majors was due to a stranger that he met on campus and having a brief conversation getting to know each other and their majors.
While taking a tour of Iowa State, visitors are asked to bring their parents along to get familiar to the campus as well. Having parents tag along during the tour can make the new students more comfortable when facing a new journey in their lives.
For the most part newcomers have had mom or dad or even both in their lives through schooling. Coming in the fall with a new roommate and not having your parents push you to get good grades is probably the biggest adjustment students make.
Parents play a great deal into helping their son or daughter choose their major. Sometimes parents choose their son or daughters major for them, maybe because they have a company back home or because they would like to see their kid earn good money.
“Being on your own you have plenty of time to think,” says Christine Lawler, junior in Psychology. “The time without them you mature and that’s what really helps you make the big decision of choosing your major.” Added Lawler.
Without a doubt, coming to college is a big deal for students and their families. Students expand their minds in and outside of the classroom, maturing greatly and enter into adulthood by the end of their college career (hopefully). Changing majors can be the starting stone into a whole different world; it’s just choosing which world to go into.
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