The time spent between freshman and senior year is a period of great growth. You enter college as one person, and leave as another entirely. Your thoughts change and different paths evolve. College years are among the best years in our lives. In honor of these thoughts, a freshman and a senior have been interviewed and asked the same questions. Some are serious, some are fun. Read on to see how they compare!
The questions answered below are from Chelsea Rafferty, class of 2014. Chelsea is a double major in English and Secondary Education and currently student teaching. Chelsea is an asset to Nichols College and inspires many with her hard work, determination, sense of humor, and friendship.
1. Describe yourself in 5 words: Outgoing, Loud, Clumsy, Nerdy, Basketball junkie.
2. What was your final decision in choosing Nichols for your college career?
I decided to come to Nichols for quite a few reasons. The first, and most important on my list, is the distance from home. I am only an hour drive away so I can travel back there when need be. Second, I was recruited to play on the Women’s Basketball team. I was excited for an opportunity to play at the collegiate level. The third reason was the size of the school and the student-teacher ratio. I attended a very small Catholic high school and loved a small classroom setting with close interactions with my teachers. I was very successful in that environment and knew I wanted that at the college I would attend.
3. What do you hope to get from a Nichols education?
I hope to have an advantage over other graduates in my field in terms of experience in the classroom and networking.
4. Tell me the funniest thing that has happened to you so far on campus:
During my sophomore year while I was on duty on the senior One Night Social, a female senior and a close friend flashed me as she was approaching her residence hall. She had absolutely no idea anyone was around and was so embarrassed. It was one of the funnier things I have seen while on duty.
5. Who is your favorite professor and why?
There are so many amazing professors here but I would have to say that Professor Michael Lajoie is by far my favorite. This is my first semester not taking one of his classes since my first semester freshmen year and this deeply saddens me. He is a mentor to all students, whether they are an English major or not, and he genuinely cares about each student’s educational, emotional, physical, and mental well being. He challenges each students thinking and prompts them to truly relate classroom material to the real world. He focuses on the important aspects of education rather than the nit picky, unimportant parts such as the number of paragraphs in one’s paper. He focuses on quality and substance rather than quantity. He is the epitome of an amazing teacher and I hope I am half the teacher he is someday. He has helped me and my peers overcome our personal struggles and he is the most compassionate individual I have ever met in my life. I can never thank him enough for what he has done to help me grow as an English major, future educator, and as a well-rounded individual.
6. What advice would you give your former freshman self?
Don’t go home so often. It may be tempting to go home every weekend because this change is very overwhelming, but the weekends of your freshmen year are the most important when it comes to meeting fellow classmates. Try to be strong and stay a few weekends in a row. Go out with your roommates, teammates, and neighbors. Get to know everyone.
7. Finish this sentence. When I grow up, I am going to be…
A college English Professor.
8. Favorite book, favorite food, favorite song, and favorite type of writing utensil:
To Kill A Mockingbird; Jimmy’s Buffalo Chicken Calzone; Dirty Paws by Of Monsters and Men; BIC Black Ballpoint Pen.
9. If I could change one thing about Lombard Dining Hall, it would be…
A larger gluten free section. It certainly has expanded significantly since I was a freshman but being a person with Celiac disease, it certainly can improve even more.
10. Favorite quote:
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” –To Kill a Mockingbird
The next set of questions have been answered by Jessica Frank, a new student to Nichols College. Jessica has entered Nichols College this fall. Her inquisitive and friendly disposition is sure to lead her down a path to success. She is an International Business major, class of 2017.
1. Describe yourself in 5 words: Happy, friendly, outgoing, loud, and smiley.
2. What was your final decision in choosing Nichols for your college career?
The cost of tuition over other equally competitive schools of the same caliber with the same success rates.
3. What do you hope to get from a Nichols education?
Hopefully a job in the field of my major, international business, and a clearer path to a happy and successful life.
4. Tell me the funniest thing that has happened to you so far on campus.
I wore flip flops on a rainy day because my sister told me it was supposed to be 80 degrees and sunny. I ended up walking up the hill from the Athletic Center all the way to Fels barefoot with my shoes in my hand.
5. Who is your favorite professor and why?
My favorite professor would be a tossup between Dr. Halprin and Dr. J. Deys. They are both English teachers and I love English but they teach different subjects for my class so I’m not sure. Halprin is kooky and funny and spacey while Deys is more cool and down to earth. They’re both awesome.
6. What advice would you give your future senior self?
I would tell my senior self that I should be proud to be graduating from college and that just because school is over doesn’t mean the hard stuff has past. I’d definitely tell myself not to sell out on my goals no matter how farfetched and outlandish they may be.
7. Finish this sentence. When I grow up, I am going to be…
When I grow up I am going to be an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher in South Korea.
8. Favorite book, favorite food, favorite song, and favorite type of writing utensil:
[sic] The Princess Bride; Thai spicy stir fry; Letters from the Sky by Civil Twilight (at the moment anyways); Fine tipped colorful pens.
9. If I could change one thing about Lombard Dining Hall, it would be…
I would love to see more culture in the dining hall. Indian food, Chinese food, Thai food, Korean food, and others would be a welcomed mix up. Sushi would make my day.
10. Favorite quote:
“There are three kinds of people in life; The kind that make things happen, the kind that watch things happen, and the kind who ask what happened.” — Mary Kay Ash