Welcome, class of 2018!

I have been a resident assistant in Buddig Hall for the past year and a half. As a residential assistant, I interacted with students and helped them with anything they may have needed. RA life has shown me the importance of building a community on each floor. Getting to know the people that live around you helps to make friends early on and builds your network.

Resident assistants are more than disciplinarians — they are resources that can help you form roots in Loyola’s community. No community challenges and shapes your way of life more than the residence hall in which you live during freshman year.

Every RA was a freshman once, and they know what does and does not work in a residence hall community. My freshman-year floor was very tight-knit and consisted of students from all over the country. I quickly learned how to deal with conflicts among my peers, which is something I value that still helps me today.

There are no lists carved in stone that will guide you through your freshman year. Not everyone is the same, and college should be a unique experience for each person. Something I recommend, however, is keeping an open mind.

Study abroad, join clubs or Greek life, go to music festivals, explore all New Orleans has to offer. If you are bored, you are doing something wrong. The time will fly by, and before you know it, you will be making a senior year bucket-list of the things you wish you had done sooner. You have been given the opportunity to earn a college degree, a gift that only 6.7 percent of people worldwide are given. Take advantage of it.

Ask yourself why you are here. I know most students would say they are here to get a good job or because college isn’t optional in their family. My initial response as a freshman would have been both of these. However, as I have grown up, I realize my answer has changed. I have no idea what the future holds or what I will be doing after graduation, but I do know that I am here to learn. I am here to learn in the classroom. I am here to learn from friends, acquaintances and professors. I am here to learn from mistakes and challenges. Most importantly, I am here to learn about myself.

Something I wish someone had told me as a freshman is that it is okay to not know exactly what you want to do with your life. Life usually never goes according to plan, anyway, so just enjoy every minute of the here and now, and everything else will fall into place.