As winter break approaches, the Moravian College Class of 2021 now have their first semester of college under their belts. See how freshman Ellen Evans’ perspective has changed from move-in to now!
Why did you choose Moravian College?
Originally, my mom picked Moravian College for me, and scheduled a visit without even telling me. The second I stepped on campus, I saw why she had fallen in love with it. Moravian College’s deep rooted history and their dedication to giving back to their community really made it stand out. Programs seemed to apply directly to the path I want to follow in the future: I’m studying nursing and they built a brand new nursing building. I plan to apply to join the Peace Corps, and they have a program that prepares students for working abroad. When the pieces fall into place like that, It’s hard to turn away from it.
What were your first thoughts or first impressions when school started?
When school started I was excited to get out of the house and start life on my own! I moved in early to be a part of the 1742 Experience, a program that does community service to give the students a sense of what kind of opportunities are available in the area. I made amazing friends right off the bat, which made the transition a lot easier.
What were you looking forward to the most about college?
I was really looking forward to the responsibilities and freedom that would come with living away from my family. I also was looking forward to broadening my horizons, meeting new people, and sharing ideas with like minded people.
What were you most nervous about?
I was, and still am, nervous about Anatomy. It’s a difficult, required course for nursing, and is more work than I ever got in high school!
How have you changed since college started?
The one big change I’ve made is my involvement in athletics. I decided to sacrifice my love of sports to really focus on my education. I did end up picking up a club sport, which was fun and a lot less commitment. My study habits have also changed a lot! In high school I could float through my classes, and I wasn’t really challenged. However, if I didn’t study now, I could never be a nurse!
I plan on exploring all the opportunities Moravian College has to offer, including starting my own club! During my first semester, I hopped right on it. I worked with one of my professors as well as Gillian Sharkey, director of the Center for Career and Civic Engagement. The past couple years I have been involved in an organization called Students Helping Honduras (SHH), a non-profit fighting to alleviate extreme violence and poverty in Honduras through education and youth empowerment.