The fall semester has come to an end, and the freshman class has just experienced their first semester of college. 

So what was it like for the newbies? Did they get a taste of what is to come in the following years? 

Well, the following freshmen were asked questions about their first semester here at Kean University: Marius Price, psychology major; Ashanti Lyking, biology health professions on a physical therapy track major; Precious Castanon, special education major.

Like most freshmen, these students did not know what their life would be like when they first stepped foot on campus. This is what they had to say about their experience during the fall semester:

Castanon: "What I liked about my first semester was meeting people. It was great getting to meet new people everyday! What I disliked was not knowing anyone in my classes the first few weeks of school. I can be pretty shy, so I was a little afraid to strike up a conversation at first."

Lyking: "I liked that I could get involved on campus right from the start. Kean [University] has so many opportunities readily available for students to explore. There was really no limitations on what I could do here as a freshman. "

Price: "My first semester was full of surprises. The only thing I disliked was the dining hall hours, which opens too late and closes too early...I liked the variety of venue options for food, the diversity on campus [and] the opportunities available to me. I liked how involved people were in my development as a freshman [and] I felt at home almost immediately."

There are some things students do not know heading into their first semester of college. Here is what Lyking, Price and Castanon wish they knew before they started their first semester:

Lyking: "I wish I knew how many people would be willing to help me when I got to college. My teachers from high school always stressed the fact that no one would be able to assist me and that I would be responsible for myself every step of the way. However, this was not the case. No matter what I did, if I needed help with anything, there was always someone to help me whether it was a professor, an advisor or even my peers."

Price: "I wish I had developed more discipline before having arrived. It would have eliminated some bumps in the road with staying up too late or pushing off laundry too long."

Castanon: "I wish I knew not to buy all of my textbooks from the campus bookstore. It's much more cost efficient and easier to get them online. I also wish I knew to make my schedule as early as possible so I'd get a better choice of the classes I wanted to take."

Now the semester has concluded, but these students have learned a lot over the pass couple of months.

Price: "These past few months I learned more about myself and how I interact with other people. I learned that I am capable of being a leader who sets a good example. I learned how to mediate issues in close quarters. I learned how to manage my time. I learned how to make myself complete tasks I would rather put off."

Castanon: "I've learned how to become a better writer. I wasn't the best writer at first, but I've already learned so much just from this first semester in English class. I've also learned how to come out of my comfort zone and to talk to people just by saying hi and introducing myself."

Lyking: "In these past few months, I have learned that my voice matters. There has never been more opportunities in one place for me to tell people what I think and do things I would not have done in another setting. I also learned that staying focused is key. There are so many aspects of being in college that can get you caught up, but you have to remember where you are and what you are there to do. There will always be time to have fun, as long as you do what you have to do first."

For future freshmen, college is nothing compared to high school. Be prepared for what is to come, but at the same time have fun while in college. Castanon, Lyking and Price have a few words of advice to share with incoming Kean University students:

Castanon: "To make the best of their time here. Make the effort to be a good student and take advantage of everything college has to offer. College is a big step in everyone's lives, but if you have fun with it, it makes it so much easier."

Lyking: "To take advantage of everything that is made possible for them here on campus. There are tons and tons of opportunities to expand your horizons and grow at Kean [University]. You have to be open to doing things that you might not have done before in order to grow."

Price: "To get as involved as possible [on campus]. Your level of happiness is directly proportionate to the level of involvement you exhibit."