Journey Leaders share advice for New Buffs
Many New Buffs are excited to start their journey at CU Boulder and may be wondering what college life may be like. Fortunately, upperclassmen are more than willing to share their experiences!
Kylie Sambirsky and Amy Kibort are two Journey Leaders in New Student & Family Programs. Review their tips and advice for students who are arriving on campus this fall.
Kylie Sambirsky (she/her)
Kylie is a senior majoring in psychology.
What should New Buffs be sure to do in their first semester at CU?
New Buffs should attend one of the many free events that CU offers! It can be hard to make plans for the weekend or it can feel bad to not have things to do, but CU has so many free events that it can add a lot to your schedule.
What is your favorite class you’ve taken at CU?
My favorite class I’ve taken at CU is abnormal psychology. I think that the professors for it make the course content engaging, and I know many non-psychology majors who have enjoyed it as well.
What is a favorite memory you have from your first Fall Welcome?
My favorite memory from my first Fall Welcome is the block parties. I lived in Kittredge Village, so we gathered a group of people from my hall and went to reverse tie-dye some t-shirts and make smores. I think it was a great way to create community in our hall, and we ended up doing so many things together throughout the year after this experience.
What advice do you have for New Buffs?
My advice for New Buffs is to not be too harsh on yourself. I think the ideas of what your college experience “should” be is a pressure that has been put on a lot of people, and it’s totally okay to deviate from that expectation or linear plan. Try new things with new people, declare a minor in space, find ways to make your time enjoyable and don’t stress if you make a mistake!
Amy Kibort (she/her)
Amy is a junior majoring in communication and sociology.
What should New Buffs be sure to do in their first semester at CU?
Join every activity you can. As an introvert and someone who is very shy, I understand how scary this statement sounds. I know it's a lot easier to just lay in your bed in the safety of your dorm room. However, friendships form fast and in a college setting, it's initially difficult to find your people. People are looking for others and if you don't take advantage of that time, it's hard to break through to friend groups that start to form afterwards. By joining activities and reaching out for contact information, you really can gain long-term friendships with people you really like.
This may seem tiring, feel embarrassing asking for stranger's contact info, and disheartening when those relationships barely last a week. Nevertheless, by putting yourself out there at the very beginning and continuing this when you have time through the semester, loneliness won't be there to hit you during your culture shock moments in college because you'll have a support system. For myself, I've found some of my best friends from the biggest events to the most random social situations I joined on a whim.
What is your favorite class you’ve taken at CU?
THTR 4059 - Open Topics in Theatre and Drama: Theatre and Ghosts taught by Heather Kelley. Although this is a rare class and very random, the community, the professor and the content were all amazing and I still miss this class.
What is a favorite memory you have from your first Fall Welcome?
My favorite memory from my first Fall Welcome was during Spirit Night. I didn't know what to expect but as soon as I saw what that entailed, I had so much fun! I loved the various activities, the projected movie screen that felt like you were in a drive-in theater and the loads of food trucks offered. I hung out with some new friends and some people I've known since high school and we joined a random dance party taking place in the middle of the parking lot in front of Folsom Field. Later, on our way back to the dorms, me and my friends taught one of my new friends how to ride a bike for the first time. We did it around the ponds of Kittredge (on the sidewalks) and although she didn't fully learn, it was a nice memory to think about when we all came together. Even people we didn't even know that passed us cheered us all on. There was a lot of excitement and smiles.
What advice do you have for New Buffs?
Your first year, no matter what, is rough. It's a new beginning and you'll have heartwarming memories you want to relive, your disheartening culture shock moments and your in-betweens. Even though social media and people at a glance all look like they're doing better than you, you don't know what's going on behind the scenes because it's not the norm to tell everyone that you're having a rough time.
I would give this advice—advice I wish I had from someone—that it will only get better. The more you push through the hard times, the more you will find yourself, your people and your community. I always think the next semester is better than the last one. When I was in the heat of it, I never admitted to people I was having a rough time because I didn't want people to know when it looked like they were doing fine. But after taking a step back and being in my second year, I've found that I wasn't alone and I can openly say that my first year had its highs and lows. Being a New Buff is a time to grow and find who you are through success and mistakes so please keep that in mind through the journey.