As seniors grapple with college application season, freshly graduated college-bound NHS alumni are adapting to a new school environment. University students are open books when it comes to sharing the pros and cons of their colleges. 

University of Minnesota freshman, Lorelei Kutchek, went from a class size of about 500 to over 6,500, which feels like a million new people. Despite this abrupt change, she finds that moving to a bigger city is socially advantageous. Sitting with her new college friends, she explains how different college has been from her previous life in Neenah. 

“I think you can make your own little community here.” 

For anyone on the fence about going to college, Lorelei suggests the best advice may come from the students themselves. She says students never fail to express their grievances with their school; whether it be disheartening dining hall food or rude professors, you’d never find this information on the university’s website. 

 “You just have to dig in and ask the real questions.” 

Although thoroughly enjoying her new experiences, Lorelei feels nostalgic about the town she grew up in, explaining one upside to Neenah is accessibility. While living away from home may be an escape from parents and rules, without a car, it’s just as much a freedom as it is a trap. As high schoolers take advantage of driving to school and extracurriculars, college students are calculating how long it will take them to walk to the nearest store, or try to navigate public transportation. 

No matter the distance from home, college is regarded as a place of personal and educational growth. While Lorelei misses her old friends, she is reveling in her newfound company and opportunities to learn. She is one of many new college students learning the differences between home and their college town.