By Olivia Fletcher
Speaking from personal experience, starting college can feel overwhelming, especially at BU. Though BU provides a cache of resources, as a freshman, certain spaces and rooms can feel untouchable. If I could give one piece of advice to freshmen, it would be this: say yes. I know it sounds cliché, but it genuinely makes all the difference, especially in those first few weeks.
My first semester at BU was honestly really hard, and most of the time I felt lost and unsure of where I fit in. But the reason I wasn’t completely miserable was that I pushed myself to say yes, even when it felt uncomfortable or spontaneous, two emotions I had famously steered clear of before college.
One of those moments actually came from my COM ambassador (funny enough), who suggested I check out a film club info session happening in 20 minutes. I had no plans, no expectations, I just went. I physically ran there, joined the club, and ended up getting involved in ways I never imagined. Through that experience, I held positions, met incredible people, and learned something really important about myself: my passions actually extend outside of film. I don’t think I would have figured that out so quickly, or had the confidence to pivot, if I hadn’t taken that initial risk.
More importantly, that one ‘yes’ led me to some of my closest friends, people I still have in my life today. That’s the thing about college: everything is a domino effect. One decision leads to another opportunity, another connection, another path you didn’t even know existed.
So go to the club meeting. Introduce yourself to someone new. Try something that might not seem like “your thing.” You’re not wasting your time. You’re building experiences, learning about yourself, and creating the foundation for your college life. The more you show up, the more you’ll get out of it.