For incoming freshman, the transition to college can be pretty overwhelming. Fortunately, there are resources available on campus to help students ease the transition to Kean University.

The most common challenge facing incoming students is becoming familiar with campus life and the resources provided by the university. Katherine Caguana, currently in her sophomore year, recounts the challenges she faced during her freshman year at Kean University.

“As a first generation college student, I was intimidated,” said Caguana. “I needed help with things like filing for financial aid, but I didn’t know where to get help.”

Caguana found that counselors were more than willing to help her become part of the Kean Community. The encouragement from counselors led her to become more involved with campus activities and student organizations, and she is now a member of the Mu Sigma Upsilon sorority. The best advice she received was to not hesitate to ask for assistance.

“There are a lot of resources and people willing to help [you] on campus,” Caguana said. “Asking questions will guide you to the right person or department, and get you the answers you’re looking for.”

Amber McEachin, a senior English major, also encourages incoming students to become involved in the Kean Community.  “Joining clubs and interacting with others on campus is a good way for students to network and familiarize themselves with the university,” said McEachin, who is a member of the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society.

McEachin also encountered challenges during her first year at Kean University, but she overcame them through efficient time management. “Getting used to university-level coursework was challenging, but by managing my time and limiting distractions I became more comfortable,” said McEachin. She adds, “It’s also important to have fun while learning. Having fun will make students feel less overwhelmed.”

Robert Abdul, a junior computer science major, experienced similar challenges and echoed the same sentiments shared by McEachin. According to Abdul, his biggest challenge was adapting to the college workload.

“I didn’t take [the workload] seriously enough at first, and that resulted in bad grades,” said Abdul.

Like McEachin, Abdul credits time management for helping overcome his challenges. “Studying more and balancing my job and class workload helped a lot,” said Abdul. “I recommend staying on top of your workload because if you fall behind, you’ll regret it every day.”

For incoming students, the transition to college can bring on a variety of challenges ranging from an increased workload to adapting to campus life. Each of the aforementioned students overcame these challenges by being proactive, seeking out the resources provided by Kean University, and responsibly managing their study time.

Any student, underclassmen or upperclassmen, can use organization and time management to effectively reduce a heavy workload, and that in turn will give them more time to participate in campus activities and reap the benefits of a fulfilling college experience.