Man I Love College

After looking back at her past three years of attending Texas Tech, Kate DeWolfe said she could confirm that her time at the college has been worthwhile.

“I’ve loved it here. I’ve made friends I’ll have for a lifetime,” she said. “I loved most of my classes. Lubbock is a fun college town, but I would never live here otherwise. I’ll be sad to leave.”

DeWolfe, a human sciences major from Austin, is about to be a senior at Tech. After listening to her experiences at the university, it sounds like the ultimate college experience. But, DeWolfe said not all of her time at Tech was a cakewalk, especially when she attended Tech orientation and her freshmen year itself.

“I was very overwhelmed when I first got here,” DeWolfe said. “I remember they had all of these activities planned, but I just hung out with my mom. It made me really nervous to go to school here.”

For Megan Hamil, an incoming freshman from Houston, her experience appeared to be different than DeWolfe’s. After attending orientation two weeks ago, Hamil said she is beyond excited to attend Tech.

Megan Hamil is an incoming freshman at Tech. She said she had so much fun at orientation and is excited to start classes.

Megan Hamil is an incoming freshman at Tech. She said she had so much fun at orientation and is excited to start classes.

“I loved orientation. It was great to be able to walk around campus and try and get a feel for everything,” Hamil said. “Everyone was so friendly and helpful, even the people who weren’t helping out with orientation itself.”

What is it about Tech that appeals to the incoming freshmen? DeWolfe said she remembered why she chose the university like it was yesterday. Dewolfe said it was the only collegr she applied for in Texas. She also said her dad had told her if he could get out of paying for out-of-state tuition fees, it would be ideal. Dewolfe said her brother went to Texas Christian University, and the idea of following in his footsteps did not appeal to her.

Hamil said her decision to come to Tech was originally because she wanted to get away from everyone back home. But, she said after she toured Tech she fell in love with it based on the scenery alone. Hamil said she thought the campus was beautiful and everyone was friendly, which helped her make her final decision on where to go to college.

DeWolfe said she thought the transition from high school to college was somewhat difficult. During her freshmen year the big lecture classes with over 300 people were distracting. She said living on her own was an adjustment as well. DeWolfe said it was really hard to leave her family back in Austin, especially because she only knew one person the first week of school.

For Hamil, she said she will miss her parents the most.

“It will be weird not seeing them everyday like I’m used to, but I’m ready for a new start,” she said. “I sure won’t miss the humidity of Houston though.”

DeWolfe said if she could give any advice to the incoming freshmen, she would have an array of things to say to them.

“Oh my gosh I’d give them a list,” she said.

DeWolfe said her advice would include joining as many activities as possible, and to exercise to avoid the “freshman 15.” She said as far as food options go, Tech has many to choose from, but not all of them are healthy choices.

“Damn you Chick Fil A,” she said. “It’s too good to pass up.”

DeWolfe said her main point of advice would be to go to class. In her opinion, she said that is one of the most simplistic things that matter in a big way.

“It’s especially difficult when you and your friends don’t have the same schedule,” she said. “When they’re out of class you want to hang out with them and go to the pool, and things like that. You can’t give in. If you go to class, then you’ll pass.”

About Lauren Estlinbaum

Entertainment Director    —    Journalism major, Class of 2014
Lauren Estlinbaum grew up in Pearland, Texas, south of Houston (go Texans). She is a journalism major with a minor in apparel design. Lauren would like to work for either a fashion or lifestyle publication post-graduation. As she likes to say, she considers fashion magazines survival guides.