The Freshman 15…actually it’s 5…
Hustling and bustling on my way to class, every day I see the number of tours on our campus increasing. It is so lovely to see prospective students (with their little white plastic bags), curious about the Vanderbilt college experience and hoping to find out whether it will be a good fit for them. There is so much to gain from the college experience…including the rumored “Freshman 15”. In my nutrition class last year, we found out that very few people actually gain that much weight. The “Freshman 5” is a closer estimate. That really shouldn’t matter! So, I compiled my own version of the “Freshman 5” to recap my 5 favorite things that highlight the unique Vanderbilt freshman experience.
All freshmen live on Peabody Campus, one of the most beautiful parts of campus, in an area known as the Commons. I loved the proximity of the dining halls, recreation center, and the close 5 minute walk to Hillsboro Village.
2. Exclusively Freshman Classes
There are so many interesting classes offered to exclusively to freshmen! Two amazing opportunities are Commons Seminars and the Freshman Writing Seminar. Both allow you to explore different fields and are designed to be incredibly fun and engaging. My friend took a freshman seminar, “He Said/She Said: Taking Sex Differences Seriously”, and highly recommended it since it was a low time commitment–only one hour a week–and there are so many topics to choose from. Other options range from Brazilian Capoeira dance classes to a class exclusively designed to exploring the making of music in Nashville, including trips to famous studios and a recording session of your own! Though I didn’t get the chance to take a Commons Seminar, I did take “Exploring the world of Pride and Prejudice” as my freshman writing seminar. We got to watch and write about all the adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, including Bollywood “Bride and Prejudice”. I absolutely loved my colleagues and my professor, and still keep in contact with them!
3. Free for Freshmen
The number of activities and events for freshmen are endless on campus. But, sometimes, you want a little down-time and need to get of campus. Every weekend, there are free regular shuttles downtown (for concerts or sports games) and trips to shopping areas. My favorite ‘free’ thing, by far, was getting to go on freshmen trips. You can get tickets to Broadway tour events, midnight movie premiers, symphonies, and go on trips around Tennessee (one of my friends went to Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home, in Memphis!).
4. Nashville Lovin’
Go paint the town black and gold! Nashville is a wondrous city to live in: from the
diverse neighborhoods, music city culture, live events, and unique country atmosphere, there is so much to look forward to as a freshman.
5. Finding your sweet spot…
Last, but definitely not least, being a freshman gives you time to explore. I came to Vanderbilt not having a clue what I wanted my college career to be like. Don’t limit yourself and keep your mind open! Take that class you were curious about. Vanderbilt doesn’t put people in boxes. With the diversity offered by the four undergraduate colleges, freshman year…let me rephrase…your entire college career is an opportunity for you to explore interests and develop yourself academically (I have friends who double major in Blair School of Music and Peabody College).