Madison Shumway
Staff Writer
A month into their first year of college, ISU freshmen navigate their new academic world with the help of friends and a welcoming environment.
Despite different backgrounds, many freshmen agree that college requires more self motivation than high school did. They also cited a warm and friendly atmosphere as what motivated them to come to ISU and what aided their transition.
“At most of the colleges I visited, the people were polite but distant, so when I visited ISU, I noticed something very different,” said mathematics major Josh Stearn. “[Everyone] was super friendly and helpful, from the tour guides to random strangers on the street. I felt an atmosphere that made me feel welcome and at home in a way I never felt anywhere else.”
Stearn, who is from Burley, Idaho, said he struggled with the transition to a new place and increased workload. But he quickly adapted to life at ISU, making new friends, connecting with his roommate and working hard at his classes.
Michaela Abbs traveled almost 2,000 miles to enroll in the nuclear and mechanical engineering program at ISU. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Abbs picked a school she never dreamed of attending, in a city very different than the one in which she grew up.
She finished high school in three years, thanks to a mix of public, cyber- and home-schooling. After applying to universities near her hometown, Abbs found several colleges that offered her major.
She applied to ISU. After receiving acceptance letters from every college she applied to, including Purdue and Penn State, Abbs took tours of her top choices.
“When I visited ISU, I immediately knew that this is where I wanted to attend college,” Abbs said. “Everyone I met on my visit was very friendly and they all went above and beyond to answer my questions and to accommodate any problem I had. The atmosphere at ISU really made all of the difference.”
Moving across the country was a culture shock, she said, and the friendly personalities she encountered contributed to the effect.
People in Pittsburgh are “brutally honest,” said Abbs, so the pleasant demeanors of Pocatellans have both eased her transition and created awkward situations.
Abbs’ Eastern, blunt way of speaking, as well as her fashion sense, often set her apart from the people she meets here.
She’s found her niche with new friends, and attending on-campus activities and events with them has helped her through the tougher parts of starting college far from home. Hiking and running help too, she said.
“Moving to Idaho has been both fairly easy and extremely difficult,” Abbs said. “It has been an overall easy transition for me because Idahoans are very kind, friendly people.”
A bit farther from home is Aayush Jha, who is from Kathmandu, Nepal.
The microbiology major likes playing ping pong, traveling and meeting new people.
Moving to a new country, then, aligns with Jha’s interests.
He noted ISU’s “invigorating environment” and diversity, as well as a good scholarship, as reasons for choosing a school all the way in Idaho.
“Something really great about being here is that I am living my dreams,” Jha said, adding that he’s always wanted to explore the world. “[The] U.S is one of the most important destinations of my life.”
He said he’s enjoyed learning more about American culture, which is “totally opposite” from Nepalese culture, and making American friends.
Jha’s favorite experience in the U.S. so far was a four-hour midnight walk with a new friend.
With the exception of a few unpleasant encounters, most of the interactions he has shared with locals have been positive. His friends help him when he misses home, he said.
“Despite making new experiences, I often miss my home country. The Nepalese foods and the festivals make me nostalgic sometimes,” Jha said. “I am living off-campus with my Nepalese friends, so my homesickness fades away in a moment.”
Highland High School graduate Abby Jablonski hasn’t left home yet, but college is still a different world, she said.
“It’s so much freedom compared to what I’m used to that adapting to it is interesting,” said Jablonski, a nursing student. “I don’t have anyone telling me what to do, so having adult responsibilities has been completely different and difficult.”
Despite the challenges, Jablonski said ISU has made her a better student.
She’s slowly adjusting to a new campus and new people.
Jablonski chose to attend her hometown university because of its nursing program, which she said is one of the best in the state.
According to her, the challenge of college encouraged her to take on more responsibility.
“I have to step up and take ownership of my education,” Jablonski said. “I think what has helped me through the hard parts is honestly knowing that I have to do it, and it needs to be done soon.”
Caleb Anderson, like Jablonski, was thrown off by the independence of a college setting, he said, but has adapted to newfound freedoms.
He hopes to become a filmmaker and direct his own screenplays.
Anderson attended Century High School in Pocatello after moving from New York.
He decided on ISU because of its familiarity.
Anderson’s father is the Director of Choral Activities in ISU’s School of Performing Arts.
“[College] really is a change from high school, into a more mature environment. So far, I have enjoyed it,” Anderson said. “I look forward to whatever memories I make.”
