College-bound students prepare for life away

College is a time for growth, both socially and academically. Many recent high school graduates from the area are heading off on their journey in just a few short weeks. The exhilaration, accompanied by the stress of living alone and taking on an entirely new type of workload, may be daunting to some incoming freshman.

The requirement to do the laundry, keep the dorm room tidy and get piles of work done without the help of a parental figure can cause stress. But, with the help of a roommate, and the many peers who are in the same situation, it is very possible to thrive in an environment of freedom.

Planning to study marketing at SUNY Oswego, MacArthur High School graduate Kevin Clifford says he is excited for the opportunity to prepare for a career. “I am ready for the amount of work that college comes with,” said Clifford, of Seaford. “My college program sets students up for internships with organizations like the New York Mets. I look forward to it.”

Recent Seaford High School graduate Randy Licata says he is excited to take control of an interesting subject at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Technology in upstate Troy. He will be studying computer and systems engineering. “RPI is one of the few colleges that offer this dual subject cover in one major,” he said. “Instead of studying just systems or just computer engineering, you study both under a single major.”

Wantagh High School graduate Michael Paradiso acknowledged the pressure of taking on a greater workload, but is also the new opportunities that college offers. “I’m looking forward to meeting new people, speculating career opportunities, as well as becoming accustomed to different environments and living on my own,” he said. “I know college is challenging and comes with much adversity, but I’m looking forward to overcoming the challenges along the way.”

Finding a roommate or getting paired with a roommate through a random process can be another catalyst for pre-college nerves.