Every year, Ferris State and its school veterans welcome new faces to campus.
During freshman year, a student faces many challenges, such as what classes to take, where the best food is and what they should experience while at Ferris. Luckily, wisdom surrounds them all.
Ferris first-year pharmacy student Kaylie Cole’s freshman year was a year she’ll never forget.
“I was very nervous and scared to live away from home and be away from my friends and family,” Cole said. “I didn’t know anyone at Ferris when I first arrived.”
Being 25 and in her fourth year at Ferris, Cole went from feeling alone in her dorm to discovering that the key to finding her social footing was to get involved with all that Ferris has to offer.
“Football games are a good place to start,” Cole said. “Also, if you live in the dorms, go down to the lobby and find someone to play a board game with or just start introducing yourself to the residents.”
Ferris hospitality management alumnus Wayne Bersano is another Ferris survivor who believes in branching out into the Bulldog community.
“I would suggest joining two RSOs: one that you enjoy for social purposes because it is a hobby of yours or a topic of interest, and then also joining a professional RSO related to your major,” Bersano said. “Putting yourself in situations where you will meet with people in group settings will really help create new relationships.”
Though Bersano now works and lives in Cleveland, he will never forget his time at Ferris, as well as the lessons he learned.
If he could do his freshman year over again, Bersano would give himself one piece of advice: “I am a person who will jump up at a new task at the blink of an eye,” Bersano said. “Therefore, one thing I think it would be wise to tell a younger version of myself is that it is okay to tell people no. I think it is extremely important to be involved to develop yourself socially and professionally, just don’t get burned out doing it.”