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An Opinion Piece by Lydia Carlson (Junior, Communication Studies)

University of Northwestern—St. Paul is known for its community. Many of the students who enter UNW eagerly look for it and most of them find it. Yet surprisingly, many upperclassmen find a lack of that very community. “My friends don’t do anything anymore” or “freshman year was so fun, now school is boring” are frequent comments among third- and fourth-year students. This leads me to ask three questions:

· Why is this happening?

· Who is affected?

· How can this change?

I have several theories as to why upperclassmen lose community as they move up in UNW. The one I want to address here is the influence of our Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO). On the “At a Glance” page on our website, over half of the students enrolled for the 2024-2025 school year were PSEO. I’m not arguing against PSEO (I participated in it), but I am saying it affects community at a four-year university. When most new students are only around for one or two years, the window of opportunity to invest in and watch new relationships grow narrows and the turnover rate among friends is discouraging for those who are taking four years to complete their degree.

Upperclassmen are affected by this turnover the most. For those students who didn’t participate in PSEO they quickly become distanced from their friends who did. A PSEO student goes from being a freshman in age to a senior in credit within two years. They

have next steps to figure out, jobs to line up, and major decisions to make. This doesn’t leave a lot of time for friends. Traditional students find their pool of friends significantly smaller by the time they exit UNW. They are willing to take the time to slow down and invest in their community over the standard three to four years at college but are discouraged because there aren’t many peers to invest in by the time they reach their junior year.

So, how can upperclassmen continue to experience strong community and flourishing friendships during the end of their college career? I have a few suggestions. First, to reinforce existing communities. Second, to seek mentorship opportunities. Third, to intentionally seek post-grad community. Let’s break those down.

 

Reinforce Existing Communities 

Keep reaching out to the friends you have around. Get coffee with someone from your freshman friend group you haven’t caught up with in a while. Plan a night of the week to do something with your friends. Schedule time for friendships and make those times consistent. If you make a plan it’s more likely to happen.

 

Seek Mentorship Opportunities

Find ways to share your experiences with new students on campus. If you live on campus consider campus leadership, or take a small step like attending your section Bible studies. Younger students are impacted by the presence of older ones. If you commute, take the time to interact with the people in your classes. Peer-to-peer support is still a form of mentoring and generosity.

 

Intentionally Seek Post-Grad Community 

This one is especially important. As you become an upperclassman on campus your attention can and should shift to the community you will be entering. Stay in touch with alums you know. Pour into your church.

Reconnect with your family. Look for the people that will be with you in the next big steps you’re taking as you leave UNW.

Source: https://www.unwsp.edu/about-us/at-a-glance/

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