Being a Freshman

Going from being the big seniors to the small college freshman is quite the transition! Okay, well not that bad. Mercyhurst makes it pretty easy to get involved. It all begins during welcome week where you get to meet all of your fellow classmates and spend a lot of time together. They bring in entertainment and speakers during welcome week that help with the adjustment to college life. College is all about expanding your horizons and taking risks. There is bound to be someone who shares your likes and is interested in the same thing you are. My best advice is to just be outgoing and don't be afraid. Start up conversations with people you've never met and sit with different people in the dining hall; it's all about being willing to take the risk. I figure I'm only here for 4 years so I better make the most of it! It's also easy to get involved in clubs and activities. For example, I'm an Intel major, but I also help out in the communications department filming a TV show. I am also in the National Security Club, Philosophy Club, and trying to get into Ambassador Club. There is such a variety of clubs here, you will more than likely find something that interests you. And if you don't see anything that you like, you can always start up your own club. I have a couple of friends who have started their own club and so far they have been pretty successful. You can also get involved in the weekend activities. The Student Activities Council (SAC) has something going on every weekend. Recently they had a Christmas celebration with a tree lighting ceremony, free dinner, horse-drawn carriage rides throughout campus, and open ice skating. In the fall term they had events such as bongo ball (it's a mix of paintball and laser tag), fall ball, and coffee houses. There's always something to do on the weekends. As far as life during the week, classes keep you busy but I haven't been stressed out...yet. I'm always expecting it but luckily it hasn't happened yet. We have a solid group of about 12 friends and we do everything together. We are a tight group and we eat dinner together and hang out every night. We have a variety of majors in our group and a lot of different interests. We like to make our own fun during the week. Just last week we all made Christmas cookies in the lobby kitchen and all frosted them together, of course listening and singing to Christmas music the entire time. We also order pizza or wings often. We usually do it on like a Wednesday night to break up the week. We have the food delivered and take it to the media room and watch a movie. It's great having everything right here. Our dorm is more like a hotel than a college residence hall. I sort of went on a tangent there...bottom line-there's a lot to do here and don't be afraid to take a chance!

About Me

My name is Ryan Smith and I am currently a freshman at Mercyhurst College. I grew up in Hornell, New York and graduated with the Class of 2010 from Hornell High School. Throughout high school I participated in several extracurricular activities such as tennis, soccer, and band. I was President of the Hornell Chapter of National Honor Society as well as a member of Yearbook Staff.I was also a member of our local Boy Scout Troop and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. 

None of the above would have been possible without the love of my family. They mean the world to me and I am so blessed to have them in my life. My Mom and Dad are the greatest and I have two wonderful sisters. We also have a dog (I guess you could say my third sister!). Thank you guys for everything! I love you!

There’s nothing like growing up in a small town. I loved every moment of it. My family all lived close by and the sense of community and belonging was great. I thought leaving home meant losing all of those feelings...but that wasn’t the case. Mercyhurst is the same way; a small community with a sense of belonging. They say the college is “bigger than small but smaller than big,” and it’s true. It’s perfect for me and I am definitely glad I chose to come here.