The Semester So Far: Different Perspectives

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As the stress of midterms finally comes to a close, I thought it would be wise to get a consensus on how the members of the Red Fox Family are feeling at the midpoint of this semester.

As a freshman, it was an interesting adjustment to move into college. I am originally from New Jersey, so I live a little while from home. Not having my parents hovering over me has given me a sense of freedom, but it also taught me discipline. Nobody is forcing us to go to class, what to eat in a day or to clean our room. The only motivation to maintain healthy habits is for our individual benefit. Now that we are at the midpoint of the semester, there is a larger emphasis on surrounding ourselves with the correct people rather than just socializing with as many people as possible. People that motivate us to be better. It could be somebody who encourages you to go to the gym, takes care of you when you go out or just sits with you in the dining hall. As we are about to hit the home stretch of the semester, surrounding ourselves with the right people can leave a mark on where we leave off by the end of the semester.

However, my experience here at Marist doesn’t represent the rest of the student body, so I interviewed two other students on their well-being after living in Poughkeepsie for two months.

In honor of National Transfer Student Week, I wanted to shed some light on one of our transfer students at Marist. My first interview was with Daniel DeFranco ’25, a transfer sophomore student, and this was his first semester here at Marist. I asked him questions detailing how the transfer process works at Marist and how it has helped him adapt to a new campus.

Jade ‘26: What is your major?

Dan ‘25: I am a history major.

J: Was it a hard decision to transfer? And why Marist?

D: It was an easy decision to transfer, as my school was not a good fit for me. I chose Marist because I loved the campus, music programs and to be closer to home.

J: How has Marist helped you throughout the transfer process?

D: Marist was extremely helpful during the transfer process, keeping me updated at all steps of the admissions process, and being extremely fast with responses.

J: Since moving in, how would you describe your ability to adapt to a new college campus?

D: I feel I’ve adjusted to a new campus well, as I have found everything well, and have enjoyed dorming at Marist.

J: How has transferring impacted your academic performance?

D: Transferring has benefitted my academic performance, as I had struggled to do well at my old school, but I have found all of Marist’s resources extremely helpful.

Marist has a significant transfer population on campus, accepting approximately 300 transfer applicants per year from two-year and four-year institutions. Therefore, the school provides many programs to accommodate transfer students. DeFranco ’25 additionally detailed how it was easy to form friend groups with his fellow transfers during his short term at Marist.

Along with interviewing DeFranco ’25, I interviewed a fellow traditional first-year student, Alexa Guarini ’26.

Jade: What is your major? And why did you choose Marist?

Alexa: My major is social work, and I chose Marist for the perfect opportunities it provides for social work, the positive community and of course how beautiful the school is.

J: Since it’s been two months since move-in day, would you say you’re better adapted to living on campus?

A: I am definitely better adapted to my life on campus. I am making many more friends and now my dorm feels like home to me

J: How has the course material in college differed from high school? Would you say you were well-prepared for midterms?

A: In college, the material in classes doesn’t differ too much, the only big difference I see is that in college, we are expected to know the material before class and it’s more of a review. With high school, it was more teaching. I was mostly prepared for midterms.

J: What has been your favorite moment this semester? Least favorite?

A: My favorite moment this semester would be going to the city with the SPC (Student Programming Council) and seeing ‘Lion King,’ that was an awesome day. My least favorite would be the first week here when I missed my family and my puppy.

J: Is there anything you wish you would have done differently since you’ve been here for two months?

A: I definitely wish I came into college with a more positive attitude. I was very closed off at first, but I had to find good people to be able to open up.

Being well into the semester, different clubs and organizations across campus have been able to kick off this new chapter. SPC has offered four opportunities for students to see Broadway shows, some of which being Six and Lion King. The Marist Women’s Soccer team has seen significant triumph so far this season with their most recent playoff win against Niagara. The Marist Theater company is anticipating the opening date for their mainstage show The Big Meal on Oct. 28. It is not too late to get involved with clubs and there are so many to choose from.

The start of a new semester can be difficult no matter your situation. Whether you’re a freshman, transfer, returning, international, abroad or commuter student. With midterms being over, finals are just around the corner. Even with the weather getting colder, the key is to stay motivated. Eat healthy, stay hydrated, get as much rest as you can and remember your mental health is your top priority. Finish the year strong Red Foxes.