With two weeks of classes and time as a Boston college student under their belts, hundreds of first-years have moved into Emerson. They bring ample perspectives, feelings, and ideas—some of which are devoted to processing their new collegiate environment.

As they settle into campus, these students have now garnered an understanding of what it’s like being an Emerson College student.

Norah Lesparence, a first-year journalism student from Silver Spring, Maryland said Emerson stood out among other colleges which seemed to “blend together.” 

“When I decided to commit, and [sat] in on a class that I would be taking, I still felt that same feeling that this is something fresh,” she said. “There are opportunities here that I can’t get anywhere else.”

She has also been interested in switching her major to Business of Creative Enterprises, and possibly minor in dance.

In her free time, Lesparence said she has enjoyed meeting new people and participating in open classes at Emerson Dance Company and Emerson Urban Dance Troupe.

Eva Li, a first-year political communications major from San Jose, California, describes her view of Emerson so far as an “inclusive community” where she feels “supported by friends, teachers, [and her] advisors.” Her major, she said, surrounds her with both students who “have the same interests” and “different ideas that [she] can learn from.”

When it comes to newfound observations on Emerson’s academics, first-year theater and performance major Anna Uehlein said she finds the program to have unique features unavailable at competing schools. 

“It’s normally regimented, like everyone’s getting the exact same experience, but that’s not what it’s like here,” she said. “I think it allows people to develop differently, which I enjoy.”

First-year undeclared Jack Pulgar from southern New Jersey said that he finds college courses to be “much more engaging” than high school ones. In terms of Emerson’s environment, Pulgar said it’s “a big hub for creative people and creative thinkers.”

The location, according to Uehlein and Li, seemed like a benefit of choosing Emerson. First-year communications major Zoe Simmons described Boston as her “favorite city.”

Simmons got recruited by the college for soccer, and “ended up really loving the school.” She said that she likes taking media courses and having Emerson be an “intimate school where you get to know your professors and your classmates pretty well.”

First-year journalism major Molly DeHaven commented on “personable” professors saying she had expected her professors to be a lot less empathetic than they have been.

“All the professors that I’ve [had] so far have been understanding and seem like real genuine people that want to have a genuine connection with their students,” she said.

DeHaven also mentioned how classes starting helped her find her footing.

“Orientation week was horrible for me. I was homesick,” she said. “[It] felt very surreal and I don’t remember most of what I was sitting through because my mind was racing the whole time. Now the classes have started, I’ve definitely gotten more comfortable.”

As students settle in and get acclimated to college, the Emerson community is there to learn what these new voices have to offer.

“So many people here have so much joy and are so willing to accept new people into this environment,” Lesperence said. “I’ve already found myself always seeing someone I can say hello to, and if I need someone, there’s always support systems … I didn’t expect how easy the transition would be.”