Freshmen Memories

In any new endeavor, it is the first moments that can create the foundation for a positive experience. Experiences often turn into memories, which are known to impact the very center of the human soul. And memories become part of the intricate tapestry of stories that will bring history to life for each current generation.

For April’s question of the month I asked student employees to share their most memorable freshmen experiences at Wake Forest University. As you read their reflections, I hope you too are reminded of the special moments that make up your own college memories.

-Jordan Resnick ’26, Major in Business & Enterprise Management, Concentration in Marketing, Creative Writing minor

My Favorite freshman year memory is taking my writing III class: Rhetoric in Pop Literature. This was one of the first courses I took at Wake that I absolutely loved, and it made me feel excited to learn and become a bigger part of the Wake Forest Community.

-Anonymous

During the Res_Hall Crawl we had so much fun and I met so many people. Eating at the moshpit for the 1st time; watching movies in the resident halls; doing the workout classes; going through the Reynolda Trail.

-Erin Ryan ’26, Major in Politics and International Affairs, Entrepreneurship and Anthropology Minor

I loved my first Love Feast as a freshman! It felt like the whole Wake community came together for the holidays in Wait Chapel

-Anonymous

As a senior, my freshman year was so full of great memories that I wish I could go back to. It was scary figuring out how to study, how to make friends, and be away from family.

One of the most meaningful moments was when I had a talk with Dr. Tomlinson after failing my first organic chemistry exam. I felt defeated for failing after studying for countless hours, but Dr. Tomlinson reassured me that my dream of being a doctor was more than possible. As I prepare to apply for medical school, I hold Dr. Tomlinson’s pep talks close. And now everyday I am one step closer to making my dream a reality.

-Ava Johnson, ’26, Health & Science, B.S.

Late-night huddles around the firepits, procrastinating our homework and laughing until we were delirious!

-Signed, A Senior

One night at the end of fall semester I sat in the dorm of a friend and we were laying on the floor listening to Fine Line by Harry Styles. I finally felt at home. She has remained a close friend.

-Anonymous

Scariest (memory): Res-Hall Crawl. Do I even have to explain myself? Meaningful (memory): The first time I stepped into campus with my family on August 10th 2023.

-Lulu Clark, ’26 Critical and Creative Media major, Marketing Communications Minor

One of my favorite first-year memories was the second Friday I had ever been on campus. I was sitting in the common room in Johnson Residence Hall with my friend Kate. We had gone to high school together and were among the few people we knew on campus. We had been working at that table for an hour or so and started to get fidgety. I can’t remember exactly how it happened, but before I knew it, we were playing ping pong with two other students in the common room.

It started with the basics: names, hometowns, and intended majors. I introduced myself: “Lulu, from Connecticut…and I have not the slightest idea yet.” We all sympathized with one another. Although we came from different corners of the country, we found common ground in where we were, how hard we had worked to get there, and how excited we were for our college lives to begin.

After what felt like a hundred rounds of ping pong, our arms were exhausted but our spirits had never been higher. We didn’t want the night to end. The residence hall had quieted down–it was late, and people were heading to bed. For fear of the RA reminding us to keep our voices down, we decided to walk to the Quad–the gathering place of all gathering places. Home to Wait Chapel, which we would soon come to see as our guiding beacon.

We started out sitting around a round wooden table outside of Zick’s. Hours later, you could find us lying like starfish on the grass in front of the chapel. We talked occasionally, but mostly, we just looked up–at the bell tower, at the toilet-papered trees, at the clear sky. It felt like a scene straight out of a quintessential coming-of-age film. It was grounding and full of promise.

As I get ready to graduate, I think back to that night–the moment I met my first friends at Wake. I’m so thankful for the memories I’ve made and the people I’ve met here. I wouldn’t trade that moment, or the countless ones that followed, for anything in the world

-Ella Jennings ’29, Environmental and Sustainability Studies

At the beginning of the spring semester, they added a huge selection of toppings to the soft serve ice cream section of The Pit: Oreo crumbles, chocolate sauce, rainbow sprinkles, and more. For a normal person, this would be exciting, but for a dessert fanatic like me, it was life-changing.

Every week, I get lunch with Leela, a close friend from Preorientation. We debrief our love lives, compare our Greek life experiences, and discuss our classes over what we call a “Pit-Trifle.” We cut a cupcake in half, place the bottom half at the bottom of a cup, layer soft-serve vanilla ice cream, and then add all ten toppings at the topping station. We complete the sweet creation by adding the top half of the frosted cupcake. This tradition encompasses everything I’ve loved about my freshman year experience: laughter, friendship, and obviously, desert.

Final Thoughts

May you always be intentional to create good memories for yourself and others. In like manner, may your good memories always find you when you need them the most.