Each year The University of Memphis welcomes a new class of freshmen from near and far as students pour in from across the country to begin their new lives away from their home.
Frosh Camp, a 17-year tradition at The University of Memphis, is a four-day camp at the NaCoMe campgrounds in middle Tennessee that gives incoming students a chance to bond with their future U of M peers before classes begin.
"Frosh camp especially helped me meet so many awesome people, so now when I'm on campus I actually know people," said Bronte Smith, an incoming freshman from Texas.
Frosh Camp is just one of The University's programs that aim to ease the transition from high school to college, according to Jameel Braddock, graduate assistant of The Office of Recruitment and Orientation Services.
"Programs such as Frosh Camp and Emerging Leaders assist students with the transition and ease the nervous and anxious feelings," Braddock said.
The Office of Recruitment and Orientation Services encourages enrollment of out-of-state students through college fairs across the country. Once accepted, all incoming freshmen and their parents are invited to participate in an orientation process which consists of an overnight stay on campus where prospective students will learn how the school functions.
"The Office of Recruitment & Orientation Services provides both a student program and parent program. We provide the parents and students with the same information and assist them with the overall college process," Braddock said.
When asked about the best way to ease into college life, many Frosh Camp veterans suggest getting involved in as many ways possible.
"The advice I would give to the incoming out-of-state freshmen would be to go to every event that you can. The Up Til Dawn Kick Off, Freshman Convocation and the RSO fair put you in situations where it is so easy to make connections with fellow freshmen and even upperclassmen, as long as you put forth the effort to go," said Melissa Pankuch, a Frosh Camp coordinator and out-of-state student from Illinois.
While many incoming students admit to feeling sheepish and fearful in their first few weeks of college, these fears often give way to cautious optimism and excitement about the future.
"I get to meet so many new people that are so willing to talk and become friends with people. So far everyone has welcomed me with open arms and I can't wait to see what the school year has in store for me," said Samantha Wilhelm, an incoming freshman from Michigan.
