As a sophomore at NVC, I have experienced a good amount of college life. It has been a drastically different experience than it was in high school for me, whether it be from the way classes are set up or the overall difficulty.

Through these two years and change, I have realized that there’s a great importance when it comes to your community at college. If I could give myself one piece of advice when I first started at NVC, it would be to make friends and get acquainted with your peers.

Now, that is a lot coming from an introvert. As someone who finds it rather difficult to talk to new people and make friends, that would definitely be the advice I would give myself and anyone else in college. My first semester was rough just because I had trouble fitting into the classroom and the debates. I found myself shying away from discussions and groups because I had no idea who anyone was.

But trust me, it is well worth making friends when you can. First of all, you won’t have that weird awkwardness of walking into class and feeling like everyone else is involved except for you. Even just one friend to sit beside and talk to makes the day go by a lot better! And there is a lot more than just the classroom chatter, but help on assignments when you are in a bit of a pinch. I cannot tell you how many times I have been stuck on that one question, or missed a day due to hospital visits or unexpected situations, only to be saved by that friend I made. No more scrambling around for what we did the day you were missing when you can just ask your newly made friend!

Also, making connections is extremely important when it comes to what you want to do later on in life and getting a job. Say you are looking for something related to photography but you are having trouble how to start or get involved. Remember that student in your photography class who already had experience and works for a small business? Talk to them and ask them questions and maybe they might even be able to get you set up somewhere!

College is meant to be a fun experience to pursue what career you would like to do, and get in touch with your community. You are not alone in the struggle that is school and picking out your major to decide what you want. Everyone else around you is in the same boat, trying to figure out how they want to live their lives so don’t be afraid to reach out to your peers.

By NVC Student Gina Briggs