University offers freshmen opportunity to find own path

by Abigail Ramirez

Daily Lobo

Freshman Memi Moore is loving her first week of college, she said.

"I feel like I've been waiting for college my whole life," she said. "I was always superbored in high school, and I hated going to school. It was never any fun. It was always serious, serious, serious."

Moore chose to attend UNM because it's close to home, she said.

"I thought if for some reason I was going to crash and burn at college, I would rather do it somewhere close to home where I am familiar with, instead of 3,000 miles away where I have no connections, no friends, no nothing," she said.

College is much easier for her because she has older friends that know the campus and the classes, she said.

They gave her tips for inside and outside of the classroom, but she has liked learning about some of it on her own, she said.

"I had a little bit of the weight taken off, but at the same time I enjoyed kind of finding my own path and figuring out for myself what's going to work best for me," she said.

Moore said college is what she expected.

"You have a lot of control over your surroundings and over your education, but at the same time, you have to take a step back and be willing to learn and be willing to realize that there's a lot out there to be offered," she said.

Moore had a basic understanding about the subjects of her classes, she said. However, she wasn't sure how fast-paced they were going to be or what conduct the teachers would expect, she said.

High school and college differ in the courses a student can choose and the relationship with the teachers, Moore said.

Moore decided to live at home with her mother until she has enough money to move out, she said.

"I will live at home for the first year, possibly the first semester if I can get enough money saved up, but I'm hoping to move out soon," she said.

Freshman Tracy Campbell didn't share a similar experience.

Even though Campbell received a full scholarship to pay for her books and tuition, she pays to live on campus on her own, she said.

She was always told by her parents that living on campus adds to the college experience and helps her meet new people, she said.

"Paying for it by yourself - it's expensive," she said. "But I have been working at a Hot Dog on a Stick for two and a half years, and I have been saving, because I knew that I wanted to live on campus, and I knew I was going to have to pay for it."

She had enough money saved up for this school year but isn't sure where she will live next year, she said. She might consider living on campus again, she said.

"I like living in the dorms," she said. "At first I was kind of skeptical, because I wasn't sure what it was going to be like living away from home for the first time, but I actually really like it. There's always something going on, so I've been able to meet a lot of people really quick."

Living on campus is all about fun, she said.

"Everybody in my hallway is always leaving their doors open, and if I have mine open, other people will come over and say, 'Hi,'" she said. "I haven't come across a single mean resident yet."

Moore's scholarship helped her pay for most of her tuition and books, but her father did have to pay a small portion, she said.

The money she paid was worth it, she said.

"I don't know where all the money goes, but I guess it's not too bad," she said. "I hope it goes toward things that are actually useful - toward students' education, which I'm sure the majority of it does."

Moore's suggestion for other freshmen is to be ready for new experiences.

"I would just say totally be open to anything," she said. "Be ready for anything, because it can happen, and hopefully it will be a positive thing."