Transcript:

“Hi, I’m Olivia Wynkoop from Golden Gate Xpress. Today we’re talking to four incoming freshmen who plan to spend their first semester at SF State in a remote setting. According to the school’s common data set, the university had over 3,500 first-time freshmen last fall. But the world looks a lot different than it did last year. These recent high school graduates face unique challenges as they navigate their first semester of college while staying at home. Let’s hear their stories.

So, what was your last semester of senior year like?

Farah Jamjoum: Yea, quarantine was just a lot to handle for seniors.
Dulce Jimenez: I was fine with it, but I was sad about missing grad night when everyone goes to Disneyland.
Alexander Gulke: They were like ‘mm sorry’ like, ‘school’s going to be done indefinitely’ and i was like, ‘uh-’
Jamie Wong: I surprisingly had more work than i did during the school year, or probably like all of high school. I think it was because my school was trying to finish everything faster and jam it all in.

How are you feeling about your first semester of college being online and what do you think you’re going to miss out on?

Alexander Gulke: For college online, that sounds scary to me. I don’t know why, it just does.
Farah Jamjoum: It’s gonna be definitely hard making friends at this point because I wasn’t friends with a lot of people in highschool. It was going to be a fresh start, I wanted to meet new people. Since everything’s virtual now, it’s gonna be hard because people are going to have their cameras off and microphones muted. Dulce Jimenez: So I was sad about that but for orientation, you know how there’s multiple people in one orientation , like 300, and i don’t know seeing everyone and meeting everyone there made it feel like I’m still technically experiencing my first year, because San Francisco State is really trying to help everyone get their first year experience.
Jamie Wong: At first I was a little disappointed, and I even thought about maybe just dropping out and just going to PCP and take online classes and just go that way, but I really didn’t wanna risk giving up the opportunity to move to San Francisco.

How do you think that COVID will affect your learning?

Alexander Gulke: I don’t know, I feel like since I’m home all the time, I feel like have extra chances to procrastinate, but then at the same time I feel like I could step up to the plate and get more work done.
Jamie Wong: Being able to ask questions right away, and just having the resources like going to the library and meeting teachers and stuff would be harder.

What are you most looking forward to with studying at SF State?

Alexander Gulke: What I was really looking forward to going to San Francisco State was that it was just open and everyone was so accepting and freeing, like yes you can come here like.
Dulce Jimenez: It’s pretty far from home, and I’ll be on my own and get to experience the world and just start a new part of my life
Jamie Wong: I just heard so many good things about being a major in business there, I’ve heard it’s a really good school and program, so I’m excited to see the difference that it can be from any other school.
Farah Jamjoum: Getting closer to my goal. I’ve always dreamt of going to school, and getting my degree, and getting a job in the city, so this is the start of a new beginning. Start of my career, and then just working my way up from here.

Be sure to check out our webpage goldengatexpress.org to see more about student life at SF State.