RUMFORD — What is the workload at college? How do you balance school and social life? What’s it really like to be a college freshman? Mountain Valley High School seniors posed those questions and more to panels of recent alumni. The alumni responded with tastes of reality and pearls of advice.
In terms of workload, Megean Bourgeois set the tone, “You have to be dedicated to what you are doing. There aren’t any classes you can do half way. You are paying to be there.” She attends University of Southern Maine.
To balance school work and social life, time management is essential. Aaron Delcourt explained the balance, “There’s a lot of things to do if you get stressed out and need to take a break. However, don’t get off the track too much. Don’t check Facebook – 12 hours later, I realized that I was still on Facebook and the Internet.” Delcourt majors in English at University of Maine at Farmington but will possibly change to a major in creative writing.
Brittany Desgrosseilliers agreed with Delcourt, “You have to make sacrifices in your social life to get things done. You have the choice to do lots of things but you have to choose to work so you earn a decent GPA.” She plans to become a nurse after her studies at University of Southern Maine.
“Remember the password for MVHS media center resources, especially the databases,” Zach Taylor advised. “It’s at a reading level that you can understand. I used them to do a biology lab report and it helped.” A public communications major, Taylor goes to the University of Vermont.
Lindsay Gallant, a rehabilitation major at UMF, recommends students “learn how to edit your papers yourself because you can’t depend on the teachers to do that. Professors expect professional writing on everything you turn in. Use the tutoring centers to help.”
“Research your major before you pick it,” suggested Justin Carter. “At my school, you start your major first semester.” A criminal justice major, Carter attends Husson University.
Erin Milligan, Bates College; Courtney Carlson, Endicott College; Taryn Carlson, University of South Florida; McKenzie Paterson, Syracuse University; and Nate Papsadora, Husson University, volunteered their time and advice during an earlier session.
English teachers John Bell and Meg Doughty arranged and moderated the panels.
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- MVHS alumni returned to share their experience at college. From left are Justin Carter, Lindsay Gallant, Zach Taylor, Aaron Delcourt, Megean Bourgeois and Brittany Desgrosseilliers.
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