Question 1: 

Annie asked, “Do you have any advice for freshmen?” 

Answer:

Hey Annie! Well, my advice for freshmen is going to take a different route due to the pandemic. My usual answer would be something along the lines of, “Put yourself out there! Go out and meet plenty of fellow freshmen and find your people on campus.” However, with social distancing regulations that doesn’t seem like the most safe advice. 

What I will say is this: don’t let the pandemic ruin your freshman year because you’re only a freshman in college once. Get involved with organizations on campus and start moving the wheels toward leadership positions early on. Be open to making friends virtually through classes or social media – find your fellow DePaul 2024 peeps. Really work on building relationships with your professors and go above and beyond in your classes to stand out and make your mark on campus. Trust me, professors will notice your hard work. 

Community building is so key to an enriching college experience and the earlier you start, the better. Thanks for the question Annie and best of luck to you!

Question 2: 

Firyal asked, “How do we make friends through Zoom? Would emailing them be weird?”

Answer:

Hey Firyal! This is such a relevant question and a concern I’m sure many students currently have. A great way I’ve made friends through Zoom is seeing which people in my classes catch my attention or seem like someone I’d click with. Then, I would send them a private message commenting on what’s being talked about, my thoughts on the professor, or a funny first message to get the conversation rolling (humor is always my go-to move). This is a great way to make the remote friendship building process less, as you put it, “weird.” Breakout rooms are another wonderful opportunity to make friends — just you and your fellow classmates! And if you want to send an email out to get to know someone, why not?

Anyone that would deem your email weird and shut you out isn’t anyone you’d want to be friends with anyway girl. Best of luck, Firyal! 

Question 3:

Tyler asked, “Would you recommend living in 1237 West Fullerton?”

Answer:

Hey Tyler! As a Chicagoan myself, I think living in 1237 West Fullerton is a total convenience move. Chicago is home to so many incredibly diverse and culturally rich neighborhoods that I find living in 1237 to be limiting. Explore! I mean, they do love to say here at DePaul, “The city is your campus.” 

Also, the price of living in 1237 is ridiculous compared to the affordable rent prices you can find across the city. If it were me, I’d say pass. However, if you can afford it in placement of dorms freshman year I’m in full support because the only thing the dorms were good for was meeting new people — which you can do in 1237 anyway. Best of luck to you!