We’ve finished up the second week of the semester so we decided to check in with one of our new students to see how things have gone so far. Enjoy!

Tell us about yourself. My name is Titus Dudden, and I was born and raised here in Springfield, Missouri. I went to school in Willard, Missouri. I’ve gone there since kindergarten and stuck through till graduation. I’m 18, and this is my first semester of college. I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering Cooperative through S&T. I have a few hobbies which include working on and repairing old stereo equipment, working out, and playing video games with friends in my spare time.

What were you most nervous about when it came to starting college? When it came to starting college, I was most nervous about my money management and making new friends. I toured the campus many times so finding my buildings was a cinch. I found a few friends from high school and made new ones in other classes so my stress diminished quite quickly.

What was your first week like? Was it different than what you thought it was going to be? My first week here was pretty close to what I expected, minus the heat. Getting into classes and knowing little to no one was expected, but I found my people. Walking around campus was the real learning curve as I’ve only ever been inside one building. Wearing clothes for the weather and shoes for walking turned out to be super important.

Have you found it hard to make friends? What ways have you gone about making friends? Making friends was easier in some classes over others. In my Calculus class we all warmed up to each other quickly because of our shared confusion on some material, but in other classes there is a stronger gap between students. The way I made friends in these classes was by sitting next to someone after asking if the seat was open and using that as an opener to a casual conversation.

How have you gotten involved on campus? Has it been hard to get involved so far? As I’m nearing the end of my second week on campus I have found myself to be more involved than I had planned to be. I participate in the gym by going 3 times a week and meet all kinds of people there while working with my friends on self improvement. I also joined OMR/FSAE, MSU’s student run formula 1 racing team. We meet weekly for big talk and meet other times for smaller specialized work.

Becoming involved I will say has been incredibly easy. I get emails regarding clubs all the time and always find myself running into booths advertising clubs and activities. There are tons of sources and opportunities for involvement on campus at MSU.

For you, what has been the biggest challenge transitioning from high school to college? The biggest change for me going from high school to college is my freedom. I have found that the time I have in my day isn’t just seven hours of straight schooling. I have time between classes to eat and do as I please. There are days where I may only have one or two classes leaving the rest of my day open for anything.

Learning to manage that freedom and become self responsible is the hardest thing I have faced since starting. Learning how to use your time and prioritize your choices is critical to transitioning into a college learning experience. Also walking, there is a ton of walking here on campus.

As a commuter student, what resources are you using on campus in your first two weeks? Being a commuter student, I drive to campus in the morning and leave in the afternoon. Because of this freedom of travel I use resources like the library or PSU to study after class. I have time to stay on campus or head home for something I may need before a class.