| Written by Alexis K. |
I’ve been an Honors student throughout high school and into my undergraduate study. Being a member of the Rutgers University–Camden Honors College for the past two years has given me many of my friends and made me a more well-rounded person, overall. When I first got accepted into the Honors College, I wasn’t really interested. I told myself that my high school career as an Honors and AP student was hard enough and that I was not going to put myself through the same torture in college. At first I ignored the emails and letters they sent me thinking that they would leave me alone and I wouldn’t have to be involved. Toward the end of my senior year in high school, I received a personal phone call from Krista Wehlen, the Honors College Student Counselor, asking when I was able to come in to schedule my classes for the upcoming fall semester. I was thinking, “Well, I didn’t dodge them. Now what?”
First Contact
I scheduled a meeting with Krista and went in to meet her, not knowing what to expect. Not only did I have a ton of questions to ask, but a part of me also wondered if I could still somehow get out of it. When I arrived at the Honors College, located on the second floor of 319 Cooper Street, I was immediately taken aback by the coziness of the space. I felt so welcomed by the faculty and students in the building right away.
I sat down with Krista for almost two hours, asking her if the Honors College was going to make my workload greater, if I was going to be more overwhelmed, and if it was the right place for me to be. She took her time with me and went through all of the expectations that need to be met as an Honors student. She explained that our classes are not any necessarily harder and not more work, but rather more specific, which would make me more well-rounded. As much as I was against being a part of the Honors College prior to seeing Krista, by the time I left that two hour meeting I left with my schedule in hand as well as a newfound excitement for the fall semester and the Honors College.
Engagement Requirements
As an Honors College student, you are required to attend one service event, one Honors event, and three campus events per semester. This is the only additional “work” you have to do as an Honors student, and it doesn’t even feel like work because it’s fun!
If you think you may not be able to complete your engagements because you are already so busy being an athlete, ambassador, Civic Scholar, JumpStart worker, part of Q-Step, an RA, or a part of a performance organization, there’s no need to worry! If you have any of the aforementioned roles, you’re not required to do three campus events (so you’re just responsible for attending one service event and one Honors event! The faculty at the Honors College understand that we have a lot going on, and the last thing they want to do is overload or overwhelm us. Being that I am an ambassador as well as a cheerleader, I am exempt from my three campus events; however, to be honest, I still end up going to the campus events and activities anyway because they’re fun and I enjoy it.
During my meeting with Krista I learned that there were two events at the end of the summer that were geared towards freshmen meeting other Honors students as well as getting a head start on semester engagement requirements: Impact Day and Fall Service Day.
Impact Day
Impact Day is amazing. You are assigned a color ahead of time and when you show up to the school the day of, you are given a t-shirt and placed with a group of your matching color. An older Honors student is assigned to lead you on a trip to Philadelphia for the day, all free of charge. Even better, the Philadelphia attractions are randomly picked out of a hat the day of, so you have no idea where you are going! Our group went to the Eastern State Penitentiary and got a tour of the prison. Other groups went to places like the Magic Gardens, The Kimmel Center, the Mutter Museum, and many more. It was such a fun trip, and I got to meet other incoming Honors Students before school even started. It was a great way to make friends and feel less alone on your first day.
Day of Service
The Day of Service is an opportunity to get started on the semester’s engagement requirements. We showed up in the morning, were assigned a number, and given breakfast. Then, according to our numbers, we were sent to certain locations in Camden to do different types of community service. My group was taken to an elementary school where we helped set up the classrooms, clean, and stuff backpacks with supplies for the kids since school was starting the following week. Like Impact Day, your Fall Service Day group is made up of other Honors students, so you get to meet new people within the Honors College. The day is fun, fulfilling, and ends up going by really quickly.
Course Opportunities
In addition to the friendships I formed through the Honors College and engagement opportunities I’ve had, I’ve also become more well-rounded academically. I have taken Honors courses on Islamic Literature, the Psychology of Religion, Magic and Ritual, and Childhood and Culture. I wouldn’t have had access to these courses without the Honors College and, after taking them, I felt more worldly. Through the Honors College, I’ve had the opportunity to create my own mental health panel, which counted as an Honors event for engagement. I have made so many memories and had so much fun as a member of the Honors College that I look back and cringe at the thought that I used to want nothing to do with such an amazing program.