Thank you for joining us for FAQ Friday last week! We covered the questions from June 19th as well, and we loved talking with you all. If you missed it live, here are all the questions we answered:
Some Reminders:
- Orientation kickoff will take place Friday evening, August 14th.
- Staggered move-in will take place during the week of August 10th.
- Family Orientation will be a virtual experience starting July 7th.
- Please contact firstyear@hope.edu with any questions about your first years student experience or logistics.
Academics:
Study tips? Adriana: Time management is crucial for me to do well academically. Using a schedule and listing out my assignments and their due dates help to keep me on track. I also set a timer for an hour at a time to make sure I’m getting a decent amount of uninterrupted studying in and try not to keep my phone in my view to minimize distractions. Cam: Keep an event planner and a homework planner. I recommend studying with friends who will hold you accountable to do your work. Also, I love whiteboards! Then I can see all my notes! Also, DON’T STUDY IN YOUR BED!!! I did this freshmen year and it totally messed up my study habits and my sleep schedule.
When can I declare a major? You can declare a major as soon as after your first semester! If you are unsure of what you want to study, you can declare or change your major at any time, but you are required to declare something after your sophomore year. Adriana declared her major at the end of her freshman year, and is declaring her double major this upcoming fall as a senior. Cam didn’t declare her majors until her sophomore year, and then ended up un-declaring one at the end of her sophomore year.
What are the benefits of gen eds? A lot of students come to college unsure of what they want to study, and gen eds allows you the opportunity to take a course in something you hadn’t previously considered. A lot of students figure out what they want to study after taking gen eds and realize that’s something they’re interested in. Even if you’re already set on what you want to study, gen eds give you a well-rounded educational experience. Gen-eds expose you to a different way of thinking and can challenge your perspectives.
What’s it like doing a double major? Double majoring is not as uncommon as you may think. It is pretty straightforward to do, and sometimes different majors will have the same or similar requirements. Adriana: I am currently majoring in English and about to declare a double major in biology. These are two completely different majors, but Hope gives you the flexibility to major in things that may be totally unrelated, and it’s allowed me to explore two of my passions. Cam: I was a double major for a while with economics and political science. I decided to drop my political science major to a minor because I wanted the opportunity to explore other areas of interest, such as philosophy and religion classes. Going to a liberal arts college, like Hope, allows you to major in a field of study while still exploring some of your other interests!
I missed the virtual events about career and major discernment. Where can I find that info? Here they are:
When do we get our fall schedules? Usually mid to end of July.
Hope History:
How long has Hope been a college? Hope first enrolled it’s first freshman class in 1862 and was officially chartered in 1866. Van Vleck is the oldest building on campus, and it used to be the main building where classes were held.
Social Life and Extracurriculars:
Advice on making friends early on? Put yourself out there! Every other new student is just as eager as you are to make new friends, and it’s as easy as just seizing the moment and striking up a conversation with the person next to you.
Clubs? There are over 70 student organizations and clubs on campus, so there’s absolutely something for everyone at Hope. Check out our “Student Activities” highlight on our Instagram for more examples!
How do college students typically dress? However you want! There’s no pressure to dress a certain way, and you should dress in a way that makes you feel comfortable. Michigan winters can get quite cold and snowy, so BRING WARM CLOTHES.
Is there partying? Hope is a dry campus, so having alcohol on campus is a policy violation. There are opportunities through MSOs, PRISM, and Campus Ministries to get that party-like feel without the alcohol. Partying that does occur is off-campus. However, Hope does want students who have been drinking to come safely back to campus.
Is it hard to make friends? The Hope community is very friendly and welcoming, so making friends isn’t too much of a hassle! Res life is set up to help you!
How do I get involved in IMs? There are three different seasons for IMs, and multiple meetings to sign-up teams throughout the year. All it takes is forming a team of friends and attending a captain’s meeting. Some examples are soccer, flag-football, ultimate frisbee, badminton, and inner-tube water polo. Cam has played volleyball, co-ed flag football, and ultimate frisbee. Adriana played ultimate frisbee and inner-tube water polo. You don’t have to be good to play!
Residential Life:
When will we know who our roommate is? According to the usual timeline, the beginning of July. However, we ask that you are patient as that may not be the case this year as the college thinks about residential housing.
When roommate information is dropped, how do we access that information? In your plus.hope.edu account. Your log-in credentials are your student ID number and a pin given to you by the college. You are able to change the log-in pin number. This is also where you will find your billing information and your class schedule.
What do you wish you didn’t bring to college? Adriana: I have a bad habit of always bringing too many clothes that I never wear which takes up a lot of space. Really try to think about differentiating between the staples you always wear and the things that you never wear or don’t wear very often as you pack this summer. Cam: In general, a lot of people wish they didn’t bring video games to college. They find that they spend more time on their video games rather than meeting new people. However, I brought Mario Kart my second semester of freshman year and that was really fun because I could play with other people. In general, I would avoid bringing video games altogether your first semester, but especially single-player video games.
Dorm/College must haves? Box fan, mini fridge, Keurig/coffee maker, mattress topper, robe, flip flops for the community bathrooms/showers, room decorations, an umbrella, laundry basket and/or collapsible drying rack, blankets or towels for the beach!
Faith Life:
Are there different religions other than Christianity represented on campus? Yes. Hope is affiliated with the Reformed Church of America, but we also have a vibrant Catholic community and a priest who has an office on campus. The Interfaith Alliance represents different religions, and there may different religion classes available that explore religions other than Christianity.
Transfer Experience:
Do you have any friends that joined in the spring, and how was the transition? There is a January orientation for spring semester transfer students so that they can get acclimated to campus. Greek Life also has its rush process in the spring, so that is a great opportunity to meet a lot of people right when you arrive. However, Greek Life isn’t the only way to get involved throughout the spring semester– you can join clubs, participate in spring IM sports, and more! There are tons of opportunities to make friends, get involved, and find your home at Hope even if you transfer here during the spring semester.