The first year of college comes with a lot of unknowns – a new environment, new friends, new experiences and a whole lot of questions.
That’s where new student mentors come in. These are current Hamline students who help incoming students start acclimating to campus life.
During Summer Orientation and Registration (SOAR), new student mentors Ava Kelles, a sophomore majoring in prelaw and business accounting, Cejay Pickett, a sophomore majoring in social studies, Leslie Chavez, a sophomore majoring in marketing administration with a minor in leadership, and Max Oliver-Machuca, a junior majoring in creative writing and theater, discussed what they wished they’d known as first-year students.
Just in time for fall semester, here’s their inside scoop.
Question: What is one thing you wish you knew before you started at Hamline?
Kelles : I’d want to know how the class process works and ways to schedule my time. You realize that you are independent. You have to take care of your own schedule because there is no parent telling you to wake up or telling you to get to class. If you don’t go to class, it’s your own fault. No one is going to baby you anymore. It’s about learning how to schedule your time properly and how to manage your time.
Pickett : I wish I’d known about all the resources that are offered on campus. I wish I truly understood what they all did and the many resources available to me.
Chavez: I wish I’d known to take advantage of the resources, especially (faculty) office hours. Every professor is different, but they all have something in common: They want you to succeed, and that is the most important thing when you are in your first year here.
Question: What is a campus resource you wish you used sooner?
Kelles: The Hedgman Center. I know they help support the LGBTQ+ community, raise awareness and make people feel welcome. It would have helped me better support my peers who are part of that community and become a better ally to my peers.
Pickett: I wish I utilized the writing center more my first year. As a first-year student, you’re learning how to write, you’re taking first-year writing; all those courses really help you with your work and content.
Chavez: The Food Resource Center. There’s free food, obviously, but if you are ever running out of stuff, everything is free and it's accessible to anybody.
Oliver-Machuca: I definitely want people to utilize Counseling and Health Services. They support a range of health-related services. You can get your prescriptions there. You can get a checkup there. If you’re feeling a little iffy – like you have a stomachache or a migraine – they can help you out. They can help with counseling, too. They do individual and group therapy. It's super-private and free.
Question: What is your favorite spot on campus to chill?
Kelles: I really like the first floor of Sorin. It’s such a comfy spot. There are so many places to sit and study. If you want to nap, you’re probably going to want to do it in Giddens Learning Center. They have some comfy spots over there.
Pickett: I have two answers: the library and Anderson Center. I love third-floor Anderson. I love the roof and love the third-floor library. Those spots are perfect.
Chavez: The best places to be on campus, either for breaks or studying, is Anderson Forum or the commuter lounge in West Hall. If you want to isolate yourself a little bit, the basement of East Hall is very quiet. There are vending machines, and it's a perfect way for you to get away while prioritizing yourself.
Question: What is one item you will need if you’re living in a campus residence hall?
Kelles: Fans, fans, fans. Your room is going to be so hot when you move in. You want to cool it down because if you want a good night's sleep, you are going to need some fans. My roommate and I each had two: we had a box fan and a bed fan.
Pickett: I would say get an air fryer.
Oliver-Machuca: A lamp.
Question: What is one item you packed for your residence hall that you did not need?
Kelles: I definitely did not use my shoe rack because I did not use all the shoes I brought. I’m a student-athlete, so I have my cleats and my turfs and I didn’t really use anything else. If you have a lot of shoes, you can bring a shoe rack, but you really don’t need it if you have five pairs. You have enough closet space, I pinky-promise.
Pickett: Everything I packed was useful in a way. I will say my laundry basket with wheels was not good for me. There are stairs, so get a laundry bag that you can carry on your back.
Oliver-Machuca: I packed an ironing board, because I said, “Oh, there are going to be events that I’m going to need to dress nice.” After a month of never using it, I said, “Yeah, Mom, you can take that back.”