5 Things I Wish I Knew as a First-Year Student

Making the transition from high school to college and being away from home can be daunting when you are a first-year student. Rest assured: Syracuse University is your second home and everyone on campus wants to help you succeed.

To start, we have put together advice from upperclass students on how to manage your first year here at Syracuse. We asked them to share advice on what they wish they had known as a first-year student. Here’s what they said:

Jordan Bullock ’24 | Television, Radio and Film, Newhouse School

I wish I had known to take advantage of every aspect of my dreams when I was a first-year student. If you’re into magazines, apply to be a part of a campus magazine. If you like to dance, find you some people to dance with. Any tiny aspect of your interests, explore it and engage in it. There is so much to access at Syracuse University, and I wish I had known to take advantage of that access in my first year.

Katherine Keane ’25 | Policy Studies, Newhouse and Maxwell School

I wish I knew how much getting involved can make the transition to college easier. My first semester here I joined a bunch of clubs on campus, and not only did it give me something to look forward to after classes, but it gave me a supportive group of friends that I am still close to today.