Making AUC Home, One Semester at a Time

By: Aya Aboshady

@Aya_Abuchadiee

In fall 2019, a thousand two hundred and eight new freshmen were admitted to AUC, according to Dean of Students George Marquis.

Some are worried, some are excited and some don’t know what to expect, but dear freshmen, take it from us who are soon graduating – everything will be fine.

Freshman Youssef Wahby, who wants to declare business, says he was a bit excited and nervous at the same time when he went through the First Year Program (FYP).

“It’s a lot of new people, professors and university,” he said.

Wahby admitted that scrolling through the students Facebook group Rate AUC Professors might have scared him, as he came across comments from students talking about grading and warning each other about tough professors.

“However, it’s only been a week for me. And I actually like my professors, so far,” he added.

Although the 18-year-old expected that getting into university meant meeting new people, he still finds himself sitting everyday with the same school mates he has known for years. Moreover, he also said that the FYP leaders expected everyone to become friends instantly during the three days of orientation. But, that didn’t happen.

“I have a little problem with speaking up in class, to be honest. And it’s not because I’m naturally shy. It’s just that the transition from school to university for me wasn’t, and still isn’t, smooth. I graduated from a French school and my English definitely isn’t as good as everyone else’s,” he shared.

It’s a whole new phase of their lives, says Noha Al-Nahas, senior counselor and adjunct faculty in the psychology department.

“They are no longer school students in the protected shell where someone could save them. They are becoming more independent and responsible. They have more freedom and with that comes the unknown,” she said.

El-Nahas stressed that it’s only natural that people are afraid of what they don’t know. And being afraid often leads to anxiety. This results from being unable to control certain situations and that’s what happens to freshmen as they enter this new world.

Many freshmen are going through a similar experience, including Kawther Lokma, 18, intending to declare Integrated Marketing Communications.

“Thankfully, I haven’t seen anything that has really triggered my anxiety, so far. The professors are very helpful. And even though FYP was a bit too long, it was very beneficial,” she said.

Lokma says she has always been looking forward to this specific phase in her life.

“I can’t deny that there were situations where I felt quite nervous, like the very first class discussion. For instance, I wasn’t sure if I should speak up but as soon as everybody else did, I joined in,” she added.

She also got some comments on how nervous she was during her first presentation, considering the fact that her cheeks were flushed. Nevertheless, she was quick to brush the nerves off and keep going.

El-Nahas says this is normal, that anxious freshmen are going to be intimidated and scared of taking part in student activities because they don’t know what to expect, or if people are going to accept them.

“Automatically, it’s going to affect their ability to make friends and participate in class because they are not used to the system and are still uncomfortable around the place. That being said, other students might deal with that by going straight ahead and indulging into a student activity in order to quickly turn the university into a comfort zone,” she said.

“In my work as a senior counselor at the Office of Student Wellbeing on campus, I’ve dealt with students with anxiety. But for freshmen, I think it’s more or less temporary due to how new the situation is. It usually is a matter of time,” El-Nahahs said.

Finding support among peers, friends and family or seeking professional help before it turns into something serious, is very crucial, she added.

That’s exactly what Lokma did, using her older sister’s presence in the university to get to know people.

“I got into university already having acquaintances and knowing people who are sophomores and juniors through her,” Lokma said.