By Bailey Baker
Have you ever tried something new and felt eager and scared to see the outcome? Imagine going to a new school, to live in a new home, with new people and becoming part of a new community. Although it can be intimidating, it is reality for Bluffton’s first-year students who are living that experience now.
“As soon as I got here, it was an overwhelming amount of welcoming,” said Courtney Morgan, a freshman at Bluffton.
Morgan said the transition to living on campus has been fun and overall a very enjoyable experience. Morgan’s roommate, Sienna Sullivan, who is also a freshman this year, said, “the support here is really great.”
Morgan and Sullivan are a part of the women’s soccer team and said they are very excited to see how the season and this school year play out.
First-year students Courtney Morgan and Sienna Sullivan say they are looking forward to seeing how this year plays out. Photo by Bailey Baker
When asked what advice he would give to the first-year students this year, junior Isaac Zickafoose, a junior at Bluffton, said, “be yourself here, don’t act like someone you’re not.”
“Living on campus is super fun,” said Skylar Liming, a junior who lives on campus. “Get yourself and friends to go outside on the lawn and play games, it makes your time here so much better than just sitting inside.”
The experience living on campus truly is what you make it to be, she said.
“You’re going to make it, you can be successful, there are people here at Bluffton that want to see you succeed,” said Kevin Williams, director of Residence Life. “It’s okay to ask for help, nobody comes in knowing everything.”
Williams also recommends that students stay on campus over the weekends, go to events and be involved in the
Senior hall director Brittany Huff said she is excited to watch the first-year students discover their place in the Bluffton community. Photo by Bailey Baker
community.
Brittany Huff, a senior and Neufeld Hall hall director, said that this years’ first-year students are “very open to new things and very willing to be community based.”
Huff said she is excited to watch the first-year students continue to adapt to their new home, as she offers support and guidance in her new role as hall director. She looks forward to having a great year with a continuous and growing sense of community within her residents.
“You have to give it a shot, you can’t diss it until you try it,” said Huff.
