The month of June is an exciting time for high school seniors, walking across stage, receiving their diploma feeling accomplished they have completed their four years of high school and excited to move on to the college life.

College can be a very scary environment for new students, often others feel scared, nervous, happy, or some mix of the three. College is a new experience for most of these students, getting use to a new schedule, more responsibilities, managing their time wisely and adjusting to a new environment. Most newcomers are required to take College Success class, which helps new students get their way around college teaching them from where to find resources on campus, time management or overall managing college life.

New student Jaime Zaragoza (18) graduated from Mariner high school in June, he is one of those students whom felt motivated and happy to start college “I felt motivated, I’m focusing on not making mistakes like I did in high school.”

Others like Sarah Crusc (18) who graduated from Stanwood high school said their first day was “pretty stressful because I didn’t know anybody, I was in a new environment and I got a lot of homework on the first day, I felt very nervous.”

College is not an easy environment to handle for new students there’s some hardships that come with it, such as making friends. Crusc said “It was pretty hard, I was able to find some acquaintances I went to high school with, so we connect a lot with each other so we don’t feel alone.”

These students are just a few of those who are new to EvCC are getting use to a new environment and a new way of life.  However, while college means more fun and more work, it also means more responsibility particularly, if you’re living away from home for the first time. Something to take away from this experience is that it will be what you make it out to be.