Graduating Seniors’ Advice to Returning Students
Cal Dooley and Ada Lambert | April 29, 2025
We asked seniors at Warren Wilson College (WWC) what advice they have for incoming freshmen. Here’s what they had to say:
“Be active in your search for community instead of waiting for it to find you,” Lily Walker said.
“Just try a bit of everything, even if you think you know what you want to do, especially in terms of Crews, or even just what you want in a social life,” Jason Kern said. “You just have to dabble.”
“Be okay with your friendships changing a lot in four years,” Kai Meyer said. “Try your best to communicate and not be messy because you will see everyone all of the time.”
“Don’t have super high expectations for the freshmen dorms,” Jo Weinsten said. “It gets better. Do as many activities as you can. Don’t drop out after your freshman year, cause it gets better.”
“Shadow lots of crews,” Rosemary Thurber said. “Shadow at least once or twice every semester, even if you don’t plan on switching crews. Ask more questions than are convenient for the administration. If you feel disconnected, go make someone else feel connected. Take responsibility for creating the lovely little place you want to live in. And pop the Warren Wilson bubble at any chance you get.”
“Don’t let them exploit you,” a student who wished to remain anonymous said. “Log every hour for the work program. If you do anything for work, log it. Do not let them get free labor out of you. Have strong boundaries with the work program.”
“Don’t go to class high, cause your professors can tell,” one student, who should probably remain anonymous, said.
“The cancel culture at this school is tough,” Towner Schunk said. “Find a way to be more accepting and forgiving of people and understanding and actually communicate your issues instead of spreading shit about people and excommunicating them from the community.”
“Walk on the trails and sit in the fields and look out at the valley and the river and the farm as much as possible,” Liza Thomas said. “It’s beautiful, it’s free, and it's good for your brain. Don’t let the craziness of the day-to-day keep you from appreciating just how beautiful our campus is.”
“Wilson is what you make it. There are so many resources here to utilize both educationally and recreationally,” Maya King said, “You can do whatever you want to if you make it happen. Follow what makes you happy. Follow the major that makes you happy. Follow the things and find the people who you feel welcomed and loved by. Don’t forget to advocate for yourself. If you ask the admin for something once, ask again and maybe again. Take care of each other.”
“Especially if you’re a shy person or you have a lot of anxiety, it’s easier to be outgoing here,” Syd Rivera said. “This space is really accepting, so you know, use it to grow.”
“Spend as much time outside as freaking possible,” Leila Baruch said. “It’s embarrassing how much time I spent napping in my room in Sunderland my freshman year. Talk to your teachers more and be more comfortable with them.”
“Check your major and minor requirements every semester,” Sarah Puterbaugh said. “It sounds annoying, but the more on top of it you are, the better it will be. Sometimes it gets confusing, and the catalogs will change, but if you know that you're taking the right classes, your life will be so much easier.”
“Take classes at UNCA and other colleges when they don't have those classes here,” Ruby Jane Moser said.
“The excitement and pressure of graduation is insane,” Andaluna Malki said. “Just breathe.“Find yourself in little moments of experience and meditation. Accept how much life is ahead of you while also scraping the barrel of your academic career. It will end, and be glorious no matter your GPA.”
And finally, advice from our graduating seniors here at The Echo:
Take at least one just-for-fun class a semester, or even just half a semester. I think it will help a lot with staying sane because having so many academic classes is extremely difficult. Also, participate in the community as much as you can. That's something I wish I did more of before this year. - Becca Boynton
DO NOT start smoking cigarettes and keep it under 4 shots of espresso a day. Save your anger for the stuff that matters. -Cal Dooley
DON’T DATE ON CAMPUS! - Ada Lambert
Congratulations to the class of 2025 and good luck to the rest of you!
