May 14, 2024 by

Are you worried about beginning college and being away from home for the first time? Rest assured that I was in the exact same place you were when I was a freshman. When I came to Cedarville, there were two things I was scared about most: the demand of college classes and eating by myself for lunch. The second one sounds a little silly to say, but it was a serious concern of mine at the time. Funny enough, the first one was easier to handle than the second. 

Campus Navigation 

Campus map of Cedarville.

Campus map of Cedarville. Click to expand!

Regarding the former, I was mainly concerned because I had been homeschooled since the third grade. I had taken some online classes with my co-op, but beyond that, I hadn’t had an in-person class with other people that weren’t my family since the second grade! I was scared about getting lost, not finding the right building or the right classroom, or showing up at the wrong time. I made it a point to keep a list of all my classes, when and where they were, and familiarize myself with the buildings that my classes were in at the beginning of the semester. 

I believe it’s especially important for any new students who aren’t familiar with Cedarville to map out their classes and know how long it takes to get from one place to another. I still remember when I thought it would take 15 minutes to get from the Stevens Student Center to the Apple Technology Resource Center (it barely takes a third of that time). 

Adapting to College Academics

Dr. Michael McKay teaching from Bible in classroom.

When it comes to actual schoolwork, it’s mainly a matter of being an efficient student and being responsible with your time. I would also suggest that you become familiar with your professors and what they expect from you, so you can work to meet those expectations. Each professor handles their classes and assignments differently, so you may need to adapt to their teaching style. Feel free to talk with your professors about questions or concerns you may have about the structure of a class, but learning to be flexible will be beneficial in the long run.  

Dining Solo 

One female student and two male students cooking on skillet top in self cook line at Cedarville University's dining hall. Other students talking in the background.

Then there’s the matter of sitting by myself for lunch. Well, you know what, even though God has brought a lot of people into my life, and I’ve made a lot of friends at school, I’ve sat by myself for plenty of meals. Most of the time I don’t feel alone even if I’m eating lunch by myself, because one of the most important things I’ve learned at Cedarville is that, upon becoming a college student, I became a part of a community of other people who are going through the same things I am. I’m not the only Cedarville student who has sat by herself for lunch, or was worried about chapel getting in the way with my classes, or was afraid of getting lost on the way to class. 

No matter what college you may attend, know that, while there are things you may not understand, you’re not the only one who doesn’t understand them. At Cedarville, we are working together, trying to graduate together, and brought together under one school and one God. Rest assured, you’ll learn plenty of things when coming to college and plenty of people will be learning alongside you. 

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