AChangeWoul dDoYouGood. Fal l2020
FAQ
Freshman
with the Honors College Assistant Dean Story // Sophia Surrett
Photography // Jordan Tastad Design // Banks Church
F
reshman year by definition is different, unusual and out of the comfort zone for most. A new start is always scary, even
for the strong-hearted. Freshman year is the most daunting time for a young adult and for many, questions and uncertainties are part of the experience. Honors College Assistant Dean Ross Bryan remembers his time as a freshman in college and the questions he had when starting his college career. Looking back on his lessons and experiences, Bryan shares to incoming freshmen as he answers the most frequently asked questions.
Dr. ross Bryan
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Q: Will I get along with my roommates?
- Braden Hall, a freshman studying psychology
“One thing I know is no matter
how you figure out who you are
housing, student affairs and student life for years.
living with or going to live with,
“I do think there are things
there’s no magic formula. I know
you can do to get along with your
there is no rhyme or reason to it,”
roommates. I think discourse, open
Bryan said. “Whether you have
dialogue, and honest dialogue are
been best friends with this person
incredibly important and that is
since kindergarten or you did
tough because I don’t think we
potluck and chose them randomly
are socialized to do that. We, as a
with a whole other context or a
people, are not socialized to have
whole other state, the chances of
open and honest discourse and
you getting along are about even.”
dialogue with people you are living
Bryan recalls his graduate
with or near. That’s one of the most
school days as he worked in
important types of friendships,
housing and continued working as
or getting along with somebody
a community director in a housing
or having a relationship, and you
operation after his graduate
absolutely have a relationship
assistantship for a couple of years.
with your roommate, no matter
When he came to The University
what. Will you get along with your
of Alabama in 2005, he came as
roommate? It is 50/50,” Bryan
the assistant director of housing
continued.
and residential communities. His
Getting along with your
expertise and experience with
roommates is an important part of
housing issues and roommates are
the college experience, especially
outstanding as he worked with
freshman year. Bryan believes
that freshmen are at the university
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Q: how will i make friends?
can be difficult to navigate.
- Braden Hall
“A huge part of your freshman
“[The Honors College] and the larger university and student life and housing residential communi-
The Honors College has the
to become public intellectuals,
year is becoming involved and en-
Honors Year One program to help
develop some life skills and pursue
gaged. We now know that if you’re
freshmen develop friendships and
becoming a social change agent.
an involved and engaged student,
relationships to last throughout
your general disposition goes up,
college. The Honors Year One
your grades go up, your satisfac-
program includes UH 100, Honors
tion goes up, and so it is incredibly
Action, and so on, but with the
important to us and we are looking
pandemic, university officials un-
for new ways to do it,” Bryan said.
derstand that making friendships
“Freshman are at the university to become public intellectuals, develop some life skills, and pursue becoming a social change agent.” - Dr. Ross Bryan
ties are in conversations to figure out how we are going to do [Honors Year One]. People will be involved and engaged, it just might look different than what you usually think of and it might take a little bit of more time,” Bryan said.
Q: how is the food?
-Braden Hall
“It is really interesting because no college student, or rarely do I
the vast number of vincinities
come across a student, that is like,
as we do today. Bob the omelet guy
‘The food is awesome here.’ But if
was Bryan’s favorite part of the
you eat the same thing, like I am a
dining hall as Bob’s personality was
creature of habit, same thing, same
the highlight of his day.
place, always. And I think if you
“I recommend that you give
did that all the time, you did that
yourself options and go to a
every day, you might get tired of it,”
different environment, and you
Bryan said.
have that option here. When I went
He recalls being a freshman
to college, you just had one dining
and only being able to eat the same
hall. You have so much choice now,
things every day due to not having
give yourself options, and give
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yourself choice, reach out and travel out to different places. You
have a ton of opportunities,” Bryan said.
“give yourself choice, reach out”
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Q: How do I find a good balance between school and fun?
- Fatema Dhondia, a sophomore studying mechanical engineering and German
“The frustrating thing about COVID right now is for some
people, and for most of us actually,
Q: How do I stay organized? - Fatema Dhondia
we’re trying to control what we
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can’t control. That is a tough one.
For a bunch of different reasons,
Any attempt to work on a
I find myself saying I am going to
but particularly now having some
schedule is important, Bryan
Bryan teaches his freshmen
the Honors College a bunch of
control X because I can’t control
set times that you are going to do
believes that whatever works best
that one the most when I was in
students in the UH 100 course
times is people are on the other side
other things in life that are going
something is a start. It is important
for you is what your goal should be.
undergrad. I always say there are
to try and meet people in a
like they don’t know how to have
on right now and it feels chaotic.
to do work, but it is also important
two things that will make you
“functional and healthy way.”
fun, or they won’t allow themselves
successful in college, One: Having
He believes engaging in public
to have fun,” Bryan said. “That
the ability to delay immediate
discourse can help you become
makes for a miserable citizen and
gratification. Having the ability
involved and respect others. When
I think that has a lasting effect into
to delay immediate gratification
meeting with other students and
adulthood. It’s not necessarily a
is very, very important. The
begin talking, bouncing ideas off of
healthy thing. You have to have a
second one is taking personal
one another becomes feasible and a
balance.”
responsibility for your actions and
way to connect and grow.
“I probably struggled with
your inactions,” Bryan said.
“What I think we run into at
Q: how many clubs should i join?
“I don’t think that there is
- Fatema Dhondia
the University,” Bryan said.
a magic number, but I do know
Bryan warns students to
this: your engagement and the
not become overly involved and
opportunities you are taking
tire yourself out. He believes if
advantage of should mature and
you ask yourself “Why did you
grow with you during your time at
come to college?” then you will
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find the right balance between
involvement, class and social life.
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to give yourself time to just sit and think and be,” Bryan said.
Q: How will I find my group here?
- Gina Lusvardi, a freshman studying chemical engineering
Starting within the residence
those relationships,” Bryan said.
halls, classes and just being on
“Usually, those things fall into
campus, finding friends will
your lap at college, you’re not stuck
become easier and more natural
for something to do generally
over time.
speaking, but now you have to find
“I don’t think that is different
more things and be intentional
from the regular freshmen
about it. You’re going to start
experience, it is just going to
finding those things and take
take a little longer. It is going to
advantage of those opportunities
take a little more of you showing
while they are there because
initiative and asking and pushing
they are going to be less of them
some of those things to have
traditionally in the freshman year.”
“take advantage of those opportunities while they are there”
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Q: How will I deal with being away from my family? I think it has the potential to stick
“That one is going to be
around a little bit longer because
there no matter what, it might be
the level of engagement and how
exasperated because of COVID.
you engage is a little different. I
You are in a new context and a new
would just be aware of that.”
environment, recognize that. You
When Bryan spoke at Bama
got to put yourself out there, you
Bound orientation, he gave a big
got to be uncomfortable,” Bryan
talk to parents reminding them
said. “I think homesickness usually
that their kids would eventually be
sticks around until about the first
okay and less homesick around the
of October, and then it fades away.
end of the first month of school.
- Gina Lusvardi
“You are in a new context and a new environment, recognize that.”
Q: Are the classes harder than high school?
Get some sleep, don’t smoke cigarettes, and be kind to your fellow citizens
“Yes because I firmly believe this, you’re asked to think and be and interact and engage differently
- Gina Lusvardi
with the curriculum,” Bryan said. Reflecting on his experience
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the honors college is harder? For some, it is because regardless of
throughout his student advising
your ACT/SAT/GPA, thinking for
career, he believes high school is a
yourself is hard. I think that is what
stepping stone to college, a place
college requires is to begin thinking
to begin to digest knowledge and
for yourself,” Bryan said.
break down principles. “And so when people ask me about the honors college, and if
“Get some sleep, don’t smoke cigarettes, and be kind to your fellow citizens,” Bryan said.