Megan Benoit, Campus Carrier features editor

Leo Narrison, Campus Carrier asst. features editor

Bailey Albertson, Campus Carrier photojournalism editor

The class of 2021 started their college journey Wednesday, Aug. 16.

Transitioning to college can be a difficult time for some. Being given more responsibility and living away from home for the first time is stressful for students and parents. 

To make move-in day less daunting, Student Government Association organized a group of upperclassmen called the Berry Bellhops to do the heavy-lifting for the incoming freshmen.  

“We had about 170 Bellhops total, combined with the football freshman and the first-year mentors. They were awesome, and there were no problems. All the freshmen seemed really excited to move in,” said junior Will Kenworthy, SGA Vice President of Administration. 

After moving in, the freshmen began their time at Berry with Viking Venture. Over the next few days, new students attended various activities where they got to bond with their new classmates, and learn about important topics.   

“I got to go out and make a lot of new friends, get involved and get free food,” freshman Jack Heerema said.  

Some of the Viking Venutre events included Rage in the Cage, BOLD, M.A.D. theater, a scavenger hunt and a discussion on the assigned summer reading, “The Good Food Revolution.” 

“The scavenger hunt was cool because we were all running around excited, getting to know our floor and getting to know the campus,” freshman Amy Borton said.  

Building connections and becoming comfortable with the campus before classes began helped freshmen with the transition to college. Other people, such as first-year mentors and resident assistants, guided freshmen to ensure that they got off to a good start.

“I wish I would have known as a freshman that the people around you mean more than anything. College is important and learning is important, but being around people, you learn things that you would never learn any other way,” sophomore Andrew Myers said. 

Another change that freshmen must adjust to is dorm-style living. Sharing a room and using communal bathrooms is a major shift from living at home for most incoming freshmen. While some students may worry about this factor, many find that it is enjoyable to live with other people their age.  

“The best part of college is definitely the community of it. I feel very comfortable with everybody here, and I love the environment and the aesthetic of it very much,” freshman Taylor Hutcheson said.

A concern for most freshmen is the difficulty of college classes compared to those in high school.  Many freshmen voiced their worries on the amount of studying that is required of a college student, and the challenging task of time management.

“My advice to freshmen is to start on stuff the day it is assigned. Don’t wait till the last minute to do it,” sophomore Bailey Fowler said.

Driving down Opportunity Drive into the exciting possibilities available at Berry can be intimidating as a freshman, but upperclassmen have attested that the time and energy put into Berry is worthwhile.

“Freshman year was exciting and full of new possibilities and opportunities that Berry provided. The more you put into Berry, the more you are going to get out of it. Working hard does pay off,” Kenworthy said.