Freshmen push the limits

“The freshmen are crazy this year.” Does this sound familiar?

There has been a general consensus among the upperclassmen—and even the freshmen themselves, that the freshmen are crazy this year. It is a tired line and a bit unoriginal, to be honest. Sure, there are reports of countless write-ups, ambulances, rumored drug detection dogs, random room searches, etc., but it seems to me that no matter what, the freshmen are and will always be the “crazy” ones.

Next year, we all will look at the upcoming class and say the exact same thing. It is an inevitable label, built on the idea that freshmen are naïve, immature, and extremely influenced by their newfound independence.

Of course, it is impossible to make one accurate statement for an entire class, and “crazy” is a little harsh. From what I have gathered, freshmen are bold and daring. They know how to have fun and are not afraid to make mistakes or take chances. They are young and reckless and well aware of it.

While they are the partiers, they are also studious. They frequent the library, pull all-nighters, and genuinely strive to do well in their classes. They go to class even after a night out partying, and they meet deadlines.

As we are nearing the end of first semester, they are finding that balance between school and social life, while growing into their independence—some more gracefully than others.

Next year, when they are all a year older and (hopefully) a year wiser, they will reminisce on their “crazy” freshmen days and scoff at the fresh meat because they will know better. Like the other upperclassmen, they have been there, and done that.

I admit I have heard multiple extraordinary stories, but that is it: they are extraordinary. We hear these stories, they stick out in our minds, and so we retell them—each retelling more exaggerated than the last.

Believe it or not, most freshmen are normal like everyone else, but they hardly ever hear that. After all, we do not remember the ordinary; we remember the outliers. We notice the kids who go all out and stand out, not the ones who blend in with everybody else.

With that said, maybe the freshmen are not as crazy as we make them seem. Maybe they are just more indiscreet. Or, maybe they are just more memorable.