High school and college are vastly different, and sometimes that makes the transition anything but easy. The thought of leaving the familiar routine many have had for twelve years is scary, to say the least. Add moving far from home to an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people into the mix, and you have yourself a recipe of fear and uncertainty. Thankfully, though, Southern Nazarene University (SNU) has come to the rescue with an event called College Days.
College Days is held once every fall and spring semester and helps current high school juniors and seniors get an idea of what attending college, and more specifically SNU, might be like. The event gives students the opportunity to experience college life firsthand before they become a college student themselves, so it definitely helps alleviate fears and allows the students get comfortable with the idea of college. Lisa Jones, Director of First Impressions at SNU and head of College Days, stated, “We try to incorporate all the different aspects of college life and make it as individual as possible. It’s for sure a unique experience you may not get at a larger school.”
During the event, activities are lined up throughout the day so the future college students can get the most out of the experience. They start off with a tour of the campus and a trip through the department of their choice where they can meet and get to know potential professors of theirs. Just like SNU students, they sit in on some college classes and eat meals in the Commons. To end the day, they have the chance to experience one of SNU’s many events like SNL.
For some, the fun doesn’t end there. A great deal of future students who live over sixty miles away from the campus take advantage of staying in one of the dorms overnight. During this time the high school students are each assigned a “host” or a current SNU student who opens their dorm to them for the night. Lindsey Luker, a sophomore at SNU, was a host during College Days last year. She gave some insight on her experience, saying, “It was a lot of fun. I really liked getting to show what SNU is like.” Spending a night in the dorms is just another great way to get an inside look into college life, and for many it is their favorite part of College Days.
This event isn’t just a blast for future students; numerous SNU students also look forward to College Days. From being a host and showing a high schooler the highlights of dorm life to helping out with tours around campus, there is no shortage of opportunities to make a huge impact on a student’s experience.
This event is a great preview of the college experience, because the participants essentially become an SNU student for a day. It shows high school students the multitude of differences there are between high school and college. Plus, it helps them become more comfortable with the campus and allows them to picture themselves being a part of SNU. Lastly, and probably most importantly, it showcases what sets SNU apart from the rest: the sense of love and community that pulses throughout the campus.
(Photo courtesy of SNU)