1.) Prepare yourself for the “Liberal Education Experience”
Be ready to take classes that may not interest you. Whittier College is all about developing students into well-rounded world citizens. If you are a business major, get comfortable with the art department or the science department. In order to graduate, you will have to take classes that you would not normally seek out.
2.) Pay attention during Freshman Orientation
Throughout orientation, you will meet and make friends that will be a big part of your time at Whittier College. There are many “bonding” activities to promote mingling and friend making. Go! Meet your fellow freshmen! Also, make sure to pay attention to your peer mentors. You will be broken up into a small groups led by a few older students. They have invaluable information about the way to pick classes, what professors are the most helpful, and where different campus offices are.
3.) Society Life
If you do decide to pursue joining a society, go to ALL of the possible Open Houses and Rush activities that you can attend. Get to know a few select girls/guys in the society and imagine yourself hanging out, studying, and planning events with those people.
4.) Institutionalized Living
Living in a dorm and eating cafeteria food is not something most people do before arriving on campus. Keep in mind that you aren’t the only one going through this major change. Communal living is very different than individual family living. Be kind and courteous to your neighbors/fellow students and give people the benefit of the doubt.
5.) Smaller campus, more drama
People will know you and know what you did last weekend (especially if you get involved in activities). Keep the drama off social media and out of the public eye. Find a few trustworthy friends who you can trust to talk to. Whittier is a very small school and it can feel a little like high school at times. If you are involved in something that you feel embarrassed about, don’t worry. The “rumor mill” is always in motion, and chances are that no one will remember that you fell off your chair in the Campus Inn (Cafeteria).
6.) Get involved
There are plenty of clubs, boards, societies, sports and activities at Whittier. Professors, students, and departments lead these and many students are involved. This is a huge part of what makes up your college experience. If you only go to class and come back to sit in your dorm, your connections may not be as strong as they could be. Go out and get involved!
7.) Buy or rent textbooks online
You can save hundreds of dollars renting on websites like Chegg.com. Also, buying books online that you might like to keep will help you save money. The bookstore is notoriously overpriced.
8.) Don’t expect to study in the Library
If you are like me, you may be easily distracted. The Bonnie Bell Library is a very beautiful and inviting place, but it is extremely noisy (especially on the first floor). There are often lots of groups congregating and it may become more of a distracting place than a studious one.
9.) Take the school up on free outings
Whittier is located in Los Angeles and the Program Board does a good job thinking of fun activities and outings. During my time at Whittier, I went to Disneyland and to see a famous Broadway musical – both for fre! Transportation is sometimes provided.
10.) Do an internship
Participating in an internship is the most valuable opportunity I had at Whittier College. Upon graduating, companies will be looking for experience. Internship hours are the best way to show that you can work in a professional environment and be accountable. This will ultimately make you more desirable as a potential job candidate.
Katherine Van Allen, originally hailing from Portland, Oregon, attended Whittier College from 2008-2012. Katherine majored in Social Work, graduating with membership in two honor societies and one social society. Katherine played sports for three years at Whittier. She currently resides in Los Angeles and enjoys her job as a geriatric social worker.