In their final days at GW, several graduating seniors reminisce about their college years:
Q. What are your best or worst freshman residence hall memories?
“I remember being a freshman in Thurston Hall and a big group of us would gather every Wednesday night in my room to watch `Beverly Hills 90210′ and `Party of Five’ from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. We had a lot of fun.” -Heath Einstein, political science
“When I first got to GW and moved into Adams Hall, I thought I was going to be all business. But a lot of us who were on the same floor would have these late night rap sessions in the hall. We talked a lot about life, love, loss and family. I came out of my shell. I think, overall, that’s what happens to people who go away to school – they come out of that shell they’ve built around themselves for 18 years of their lives and find out who they are.” -Alesia Young, dance and American studies
“I didn’t dig Thurston because it was overpopulated, and a lot of the students were drunk and crazy. It was a little too much for me.” -Rusty Stahl, American studies
Q. What was the most valuable lesson you learned at GW?
“Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. It may take a couple of failures before you get it right, but life will work itself out.” -Einstein
“Don’t try to fit in by molding yourself into something you’re not. It will happen if you just be yourself.” -Stahl
“If I’ve taken anything away from GW, it has been life lessons, not necessarily academics. Those kind of lessons are by far the most important in the end. I will miss going to school at GW and being in D.C., but it’s time to look ahead to the future now.” -Young
Q. What would you have done differently at GW?
“I would have done a lot more research on my major and taken my Columbian School requirements first so that I wouldn’t have wasted so much time on random classes.” -Stahl
“I would have created my own major.” -Young
Q. What would be your advice to incoming freshmen?
“Take everything in stride and have fun. There’s a time for everything. It will eventually get done, so don’t panic.” -Mike Smith, physics
“My advice would be to stay busy, but don’t go crazy or overwhelm yourself. Get involved in something you enjoy apart from schoolwork. Also, partying gets tired quickly.” -Young
“Don’t get caught up in the hype of the city and getting a job from day one. Focus on your academics and have fun.” -Einstein
“Don’t take everything for granted because you’ll always get a bill for it.” -Stahl
Q. What was your favorite class at GW?
“Black Women in American History with Adele Logan.” -Young
“The American Presidency with Professor Forrest Maltzman and Religion with Professor Paul Duff.” -Einstein
“U.S. Social History with Professor James Horton and the `700 Series’ Man and Nature class with Professor Seyyed Nasr.” -Stahl
“Electricity and Magnetism with Professor Joseph Zuchelli.” -Smith
Q. What was something you believed to be important as a freshman but now find trivial as a senior?
“Getting up early for registration.” -Stahl
“Grades and scholastic achievement.”-Young
“Trying to do everything and thinking that there’s not enough time to do it. Four years is a long time. You just have to look at the big picture.” -Smith
“Not passing an exam.” -Einstein
-compiled by Kathryn Maese
