Student Director of Academic Services Luke Hollister asked sophomores Robert Brandau, Michaela Estruth, Audrey Hunsbedt, and Josiah Jagoda questions relating to difficulties and joys of freshman year.
“Your spiritual and social and mental health affect your academic success,” Estruth said. “So, have fun. Give yourself a break. Go play volleyball, play soccer, go on a walk, go get coffee, something. Take breaks.”
Besides social health, Estruth also recommended focusing on spiritual stability.
“I definitely recommend talking to people and just really pouring God’s word over yourself,” Estruth said.
Jagoda suggested taking advantage of the free counseling sessions offered on campus.
“I went a few times just to really make sure I was good,” Jagoda said.
Panelists also shared some of their favorite memories from freshman year. Brandau recalled last year’s mock rock dance competition when Simpson residents mourned over placing fourth but encouraged one another and celebrated together afterward. Estruth remembered bonding with friends in her dorm over brownies and ice cream during exam season.
Some freshmen said they were concerned about how to interact with professors.
“Definitely focus on building relationships with your professors and take meaningful steps toward that,” Jagoda said.
He recommended that students attend office hours to get to know their professors outside of the classroom setting.
Other freshmen were curious how they could write a strong first essay. The panelists agreed there is no way to ensure a good grade on every essay — sometimes you have to learn from failure.
“Sometimes you’re going to have to throw it out,” Hollister said. “You write your first body paragraph, you throw it out and start over.”
Simply listening to professors, the panelists said, is one of the best ways to do well at Hillsdale.
“They really are looking out for you,” Hunsbedt said. “And then if you do make those mistakes, and you do make those Fs or those Ds or Cs, that is how you will learn.”
Freshman Eden Ryan said she learned to look to education as a means of character development.
“One of the speakers said that you need to think about what kind of person you want to be when you graduate: the kind of person the world needs in general,” Ryan said. “The education I am getting right now is valuable.”
Freshman Zoe McAlister said she realized balance was a critical part of life at Hillsdale.
“My main takeaway from the panel is that life at Hillsdale should consist of balance and that academic achievement is reliant on spiritual, social, and mental health,” McAlister said.