How to Approach Your Rochester Experience

If this is the first time you’ve stumbled upon our blog, welcome! We are so glad you’re here. Starting your college experience can be full of emotion and an exciting new adventure. The Greene Center staff and student staff have shared some advice below as you navigate this next chapter at the University of Rochester.

Think about who motivates you​

Have you ever seen someone and wondered “what does that person do?” “what do I have to do to get to where they are?” or “what did they study in college?” As you begin to explore what you may want to do and study at Rochester, it is helpful to approach this journey with a lens of curiosity and to begin by asking yourself questions that will help you identify your interests, skills, and values. While you are doing this, think about the people that motivate and inspire you to explore your interests and serve as role models. Talking to people you find interesting or motivating can help you understand potential interests and possible career paths. As you get settled on campus, keep your eyes open to what’s happening as you never know who you might run into in the halls or on the quad.

Robert, Career Advisor

Have an open mind

Was it the open, flexible curriculum that attracted you to Rochester? The ability to pursue your education, your way. Or maybe it was the chance to push yourself beyond your academic comfort zone and ask the big questions through our amazing research opportunities? Well, let me add one more. How about the opportunity to explore and test out your interests, both inside and outside of the classroom, to help you make decisions about what you want to do next while preparing you for the future of work. Pretty cool, right? Well, this is what you can expect at the University of Rochester. We will help you build habits that encourage curiosity and to remain open to possibilities and embrace the unexpected. You will have the opportunity to explore your curiosities, in big and little ways, to try out your interests and see if they are a good fit for you. And, because Rochester is a national university with that intimate college feel, talking to people, including faculty, alumni and peers, about your interests and potential possibilities, is only one connection away. This spirit of curiosity, testing out possibilities, and finding community will guide your curricular, co-curricular and experiential decisions during your time at Rochester and beyond.

Jodyi, Director of Advising

Think about your high school experience

Remember, this is an exciting time! You will have the opportunity to try out new things, change your mind, and try out other possibilities through courses, extra-curricular activities, community building, and more. The good news? You have been practicing these same habits throughout high school. That job, club, volunteering, or sport you participated in helped you identify interests, build skills and make decisions, big and small, about what you might want to try next. At the University of Rochester, you will be a member of a collaborative community that challenges you to think, imagine and go beyond your comfort zone while, simultaneously, offering support through mentors, peers, faculty, staff and alumni.  So, as you prepare for your first days at Rochester, take a few minutes to think about what habits you have started to nurture through past experiences and the ones you want to take with you to campus.

Johnny ’22, Peer Career Advisor & Jodyi, Director of Advising

It’s more than academics

No matter where you go post-graduation, you’ll need more than good grades to show the world you’ve mastered your field. Extracurricular, internships, and research experiences —paid or unpaid, selective or open to everyone—help you develop different skills, allow you to decide if you’re interested in pursuing a similar long-term goal, and show well-roundedness on any application. At Rochester, no matter what you like to do in your free time, there is a student-run group for you! There are over 300 registered organizations on CCC, and even some unofficial clubs on campus, too. Not to mention, there are an abundance of work opportunities for students in all kinds of fields. Want to do something that makes more of an impact? There are many kinds of volunteering opportunities around Rochester: religious groups, community affairs, or helping out a cause that’s important to you shows an immense amount of leadership, and a willingness to work on a team. The University facilitates many of these opportunities, such as Wilson Day, which can serve as a great starting point to get involved in the community.

There is a vibrant campus community around you right now and getting involved in clubs, volunteering, or holding a job at the library can all help you down the road. There’s much more to college than just the academics!

Hailie ’22, Marketing Specialist & Tonya, Career Advisor

For more tips and information on how to make the most of your college experience, browse our website!

By Hailie Higgins ('22)
Hailie Higgins ('22) Marketing & Communications Specialist