Students Share Their First-Week Impressions
Congratulations! You’ve conquered your first week!
The stillness of summer on campus has officially ended as new and returning Bengals bring their energy to Buffalo State for the start of the fall 2019 semester.
With special events like the Part-Time-Job Luau and Orange Friday kickoff, and the usual bustle of the Student Union filled with music and recruiting student organizations, the inaugural week of classes was nothing short of lively.
Even with all the fun, however, quite a bit of pressure can come with getting back to the books and lectures.
With so much to do, both academically and recreationally, the first week can feel “a little overwhelming,” as psychology major Diana Nguyen described her experience.
“I have to prepare my schedule for all the test dates, project dates, and assignments,” she said, “but so far it’s been pretty nice seeing all my friends again.”
Reconnecting with old friends and making new ones were among the most popular highlights of the first week for students.
“I’ve been looking at clubs and trying to interact with other classmates,” said communication major Usamnah Mohsin, adding that she also looks forward to being more involved on campus this semester.
Nguyen said she has things she anticipates doing this semester as well, both in her classes and beyond. “I have a couple of goals—personal and academic goals—that I really want to achieve, so that’s what I’m looking forward to,” she said.
Hopefully your first week back was a breeze, but even if it was stressful, just know you’ve got plenty of time to make this semester a great one.
Also, with so many unique perspectives around, remember that there’s almost always someone who can relate to your experiences. Take a look at some other students’ first-week impressions to get an idea of just how different getting settled in can be for everyone:
Francis Boeck, Journalism (Senior)
On the first week: “Pretty well. It’s kind of weird. A lot of my friends had graduated, so just trying to get used to what the senior year’s been like and trying to prepare for the next stop.”
First-week highlight: “It’s good to get my senior year started with, and it’s kind of interesting. I’ve seen some freshmen in high school that I know, and I’ve been helping them out, and people come up to me and ask for help. So it feels kind of weird that I’m kind of a veteran here and I’m kind of supposed to know what I’m doing and help out these younger kids.”
Hutong Fan, Great Lakes Ecosystem Science (Graduate)
On the first week: “People here are friendly; actually, I feel good here. I’m fresh here [from China]”
First-week highlight: “I watched the soccer game for our women’s soccer team. That was very good.”
Looking ahead: “I’m looking for a chance to do something better in my major.”
Gabriel Bollers, Hospitality Administration (Senior)
On the first week: “It’s been great to see everybody just trying to get back into the groove of things.”
First-week highlight: “Just seeing all my friends, honestly. I haven’t been able to see them due to how far everybody lives, so for me that’s been the best part, really.”
Looking ahead: “Just seeing what everybody has planned and honestly, just graduating. That’s what I’m most looking forward to.”
Susanna Mombrea, Psychology (Senior)
On the first week: “It’s been great so far. The professors, and the atmosphere is pretty nice. I like all the vibes and everything, so my first week’s been pretty good.”
First-week highlight: “I just like seeing new faces. I’ve been here for four semesters. I went to NCCC first and I transferred here. I like it a lot better here than at NCCC.”
Looking ahead: “I’m looking forward to graduating.”