Class of 2026 Has High Hopes for College
Transition requires proactive actions but growth opportunities ample
For me, the moments immediately preceding college are overrated. Especially for William and Mary, where move-in dates are relatively later than other colleges that my friends are attending. The circumstances have placed me in a sort of solitary limbo. Maybe this is why making the transition to college is particularly terrifying for me — the support system that I used to rely on is gone. To paraphrase “Hamilton,” my friends have scattered to the winds.
There’s a silver lining here, however. This newfound emotional state has encouraged me to reach out to my future fellow peers. And what they’re saying in unison, unsurprisingly, is this: college is a new frontier filled with unknowns. Sure, the prospect of going away from home for the first time in your life to be with, for the most part, complete strangers, can appear intimidating. But the new academic opportunities and potential for invaluable experiences can only contribute to an undergraduate’s growth, not just academically, but as a person.
“I’m really expecting to meet a lot of new people at W&M and find lots of new friends,” said Ty Martin ‘26. He said he is excited to learn how to live independently and wants to find out how to be an adult.
Naturally, the sentiment is not exclusive to William and Mary.
“I expect college to have its challenges,” said Wesleyan University rising freshman Stuart Conrad, “but I’m extremely excited to meet a whole bunch of new people and (hopefully) a bunch of weirdos, like myself, that I can vibe with.”
Reagan Downing ‘26 said while she doesn’t have many expectations, she hopes the community “is as welcoming as people say.”
While she’s unsure of what to expect, Katie Fitzgerald ‘26 said she’s been trying her best to keep an open mind. She hopes to make new friends, learn interesting things in her classes and enjoy her time at the College.
“It’s still very surreal to me that I’m even going?” Maclaren Johnson ‘26 said of her feelings towards college. “I’m just excited to have more control over my time.”
Students’ expectations for college come also with the need to prepare themselves for a new and challenging environment. They no longer rely on their parents as much as they had been before the start of their college journey, materially or mentally.
“Just trying to make sure that I am in a good headspace for move in,” said Caroline Cromwell ‘26, “and trying to set myself up to be mentally well [in the] first semester.”
College shopping is also a yearly ritual every student makes before the fall semester. I can recall my local Target running out of mattress toppers.
“I’ve been doing a lot of shopping (of course) as well as researching a lot of what William and Mary has to offer,” said Fitzgerald.
“I’ve been buying a bunch of posters of movies I like to cover up the walls of my dorm while also showing off some personality,” said Martin. He is also nervous about textbooks and has started looking for places to buy them cheaply.
It’s not just freshmen who are preparing for move-in, however.
“I’m packing my clothes well ahead of time and preparing everything that needs to be transported that is heavy. (i.e. Fridge, Microwave, TV),” said Orientation Aide Mateo Huerta ‘25.
Whether it’s ensuring they’re in the right mindset to prepare for increased academic rigor or having the right items that they might need during their first year, the process is universal. It calls to attention the need for a communal safety net: taking care of one another and making the transition as smooth as possible.
Thus far, I have been satisfied and delighted to see that the William and Mary community is doing just that.
Since the last academic year, William and Mary students assisted prospective students during college tours, answering their questions, and, indeed, persuading them to choose the College. Over the summer, advisors helped rising freshmen complete the required College Studies courses and helped them navigate the summer registration process. Orientation aids are also eagerly waiting to meet the Class of 2026. And many freshmen, most of whom never met each other, are already helping one another find information and resources and discussing their plans as they take another step towards becoming full-time college students.
As the Class of 2026 is approaching a new frontier, their actions are a testament to the strong sense of community that they possess. It is quite fitting, then, that one of the College’s most famous sayings is, “If you come here, you belong here.” So, onwards, Class of 2026!