Kylee Deering | A&L Editor
Second semester is in full swing and students are already busying themselves with new classes, sports and extracurricular activities. Freshmen are finding themselves and the newness of college is wearing off while seniors are wrapping up their final semester at Buena Vista University (BVU). They’re applying to graduate schools and full time jobs while simultaneously wondering where the past four years have gone. A few seniors have stepped back to reflect on their college career. They offer some advice they wish they knew freshmen year as well as a few things left on the bucket list to complete before walking out of BVU for their final time.
Casaundra Currin is unique to the senior class because she’s graduating in three years instead of four. While her time at BVU is shorter than most seniors, she offers plenty of advice. Currin is biology major and is a member of the BVU Dance Team.
She says, “I wish that I would have gotten to know my professors more; that I would have taken the time to stop by their office occasionally just to chat, because all professors here are wonderful and so willing to just sit and talk and help with anything they can.”
She also offers advice like understanding that a grade lower than an A- is not the end of the world, don’t ignore sporting events on school nights because you’re worried about making it to your 8 am the next day — go support the teams, and be social, get out of comfort zone and experience how wonderful BVU is.
Haley Stevens just handed over the title of Students Activities Board President and was on the homecoming court this year. Her advice to freshmen is centered around finding and being yourself.
“I wish I would have called home more,” says Stevens. “Yes, I was enjoying my new independence, but my parents deserved a chat once every one or two weeks at least.”
Stevens also says to choose the people you surround yourself with wisely because you become what you are surrounded by. She also encourages spending more time with yourself, saying to consider your values and who you want to be in life. Stevens wants to win a conference championship with the BVU softball team and put Mark Shea’s stapler in jello with Skyler Gorsett – a reference to The Office.
Similarly, Katie Turnquist focuses advice on being yourself. Turnquist is a member of the BVU Dance Team and an accounting major.
Turnquist tells freshmen, “Stay you.” She also says to be confident and speak up in class. Turnquist’s biggest bucket list items right now are to figure out what industry she wants to be in and find a job.
Chris Habermann is a digital media major who is a member of the UCN Studios. He began taking part in the digital media department sophomore year, so his advice to freshmen is to know that you’re not locked into the major you first chose when starting school. Habermann’s last bucket list item to cross off is graduating in May.
Like Habermann, Skyler Gorsett is a digital media major who is also a member of UCN Studios. Being involved in extracurriculars is something Gorsett strongly encourages.
“Get involved!” says Gorsett. “The whole “you’ll do better academically the more you get involved in extracurricular” thing is incredibly true!”
Gorsett also says to find what you’re passionate about and don’t be passive about your involvement. He warns not to surround yourself with people who lack initiative because you’ll fall into their habits. And not to let anyone change you unless you want to be changed, but always be willing to hear people out if they make suggestions. Gorsett wants to direct and/or act in a live production of Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog and start a “Strange Movies” club.
Enjoy all that college has to offer, get involved as early and as often as you can with things, and be yourself. Take advantage of the many perks BVU provides. College is what you make of it and you can mold it into the experience you want to have. Create your own adventure.
Photo by Dee Friesen
