Meet your interviewer
Hello admitted students and new Wildcats! My name is Anna Shapiro, and I am a junior here at the University of New Hampshire. I came into UNH with an undecided major in the Paul College of Business and Economics, but declared as a business administration major with focuses in marketing and management last year. I am a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, a Paul Employer Ambassador and a social media intern for the office of undergraduate admissions. I have learned so much over the past couple of years and had so much fun. Although coming to college can be a daunting process, today I’ll be sharing some tips to make your transition a little bit smoother.
I'll be talking with my friend and sorority sister, Evelyn Ryan ’24, who is a resident assistant (RA) in Christensen Hall. Many incoming students call Christensen Hall home, so she has some great advice for navigating your first year living on campus, from building a community in your residence hall to getting involved across campus.
What I learned my first year living on campus
First though, I want to talk a little bit about my freshman housing experience, because it taught me a lot. I decided to go for a random roommate, and unexpectedly ended up in a single in Stoke Hall. I was extremely nervous after receiving this assignment, but this ended up being a great fit for me. Stoke Hall is the largest residence hall at UNH. It has eight floors and houses students of all genders. Stoke offers single, double and triple rooms, and is located right across from Paul College. Most of the students that reside in Stoke Hall are freshmen and sophomores.
I lived on the seventh floor of Stoke, where almost all the other residents on my hall were other freshman girls. Though I was scared that being in a single dorm would impact my ability to make friends and socialize, I quickly realized that everyone was feeling the same (roommate or not). Over the first couple of days, the residents in my hall kept their doors open and would walk around and introduce themselves. Although this may sound intimidating, this is how I ended meeting my closet friends.
I had such a great dorm experience and have so many great memories that I made over the course of my first year at UNH. I am glad to say that I am still very close with all the amazing friends I made in Stoke Hall, and I am so grateful I went into to UNH with an open mind, so I was able to create these long-lasting bonds.
Now we are going to get into the question-and-answer portion of this blog. Keep reading to hear what RA Evelyn Ryan ‘24 has to say about making the most of your first year on campus.
Q&A with RA Evelyn ’24
Q: What is an avenue you wish you explored your freshman year at UNH?
A: I wish that I explored intramural sports freshman year! Wanting to do them as a sophomore felt overwhelming to me since many people had teams from the year before. They are so fun to watch, and you meet a lot of people.
Q: What is your favorite UNH memory?
A: My favorite UNH memory was a day in early spring where my friends who all lived in Haaland Hall and I went outside to hammock early in the day and ended up playing volleyball, listening to music, throwing the football around and hammocking until well after it got dark.
Q: Is having a roommate fun?
A: Having a roommate can be so much fun but can be as challenging as living with a sibling. When you are in close quarters all the time, issues can come up. Throughout my freshman year, I had two different roommates and a few suitemates. I still love my former roommates with all my heart. It’s much more fun once you get honest with each other about the weird things that bother you and you accept each other for it.
Jewelry-making activity in the residence halls.
Q: What do you love most about being an RA?
A: I love being an RA more than anything in the world. My favorite thing about being an RA is there is always someone to talk to and so many people you get to know. I love being a safe person to come to for all the girls on my floor.
Q: What are ways you've gotten involved on campus?
A: I am part of residential life as an RA in Christensen Hall and I also am a member of Kappa Delta. These two things are what have allowed me to meet the most people throughout college and make friends I hope to have for life. I am also part of PrOVES, the community service group on campus.
Q: What was your first-year housing experience like?
A: My first-year housing situation was unique since it was peak COVID. Thanks to the volleyball court outside of Haaland, I made an incredible group of friends who were by my side practically every moment outside of class. We were a big group and spent all the time that we could outside hammocking, playing volleyball, or watching movies at night. Many people disliked that year because of how tight COVID restrictions were, but we made the best of it, and I loved my experience.
Q: Is it hard to make friends in dorms?
A: I think a dorm is the best place to make friends! As silly as they may seem, go to a few socials the RAs put on, use the courts and ask people to play, text in the Facebook-made group chat to see if anyone wants to get some food. It’s a few days of awkwardness for a year of good friends, and it's worth it!
Q: What's your biggest tip for first-year students?
A: My biggest tip for freshmen is to realize that your roommate does not have to be your best friend, and the first friends you meet don’t have to be the only ones you hang out with. Everyone is figuring themselves out freshman year and things may move around within your social situations. Tying yourself down to one roommate or friend may make it hard when those shifts start to occur. There are so many great people on campus. I am not saying you won’t meet your best friends the first week, you totally can – my best friend I met the first day of college! Just keep an open mind and meet as many people as you comfortably can.
My advice and tips
BE YOURSELF
Coming to college can mean a lot of things but it usually means a fresh start. Take advantage of this opportunity and be your authentic self. Keep your dorm door open.
Keeping your door open gives people the opportunity to stop in and say hi. This is how I met my friends freshman year, and I recommend you do it yourself.
Take a step out of your comfort zone.
This is the time to take risks and do things you have always wanted to - try new foods, ask someone to meet for coffee, join a new club, and put yourself out there.
More questions? Join the YouTube Live Q&A on advice for incoming students on Tuesday, May 3rd.
