WHY DID WE WRITE THIS BOOK?

 

My life legacy is to be the world’s best aunt. There are no awards or trophies, but at the end, my hope is that I made a difference in seven beautiful lives. It is my passion and purpose.

 

My oldest nephew is entering college soon, and as I contemplated this, I realized that as the world’s best aunt, I wanted to do everything I could to help him in his college experience. I wanted him to enjoy all that college has to offer, to have all the experiences without all the pitfalls, and to take every advantage to succeed. So I got to work. I reached out to friends and experts – all professionals uniquely

connected to the college experience – and collected their wisdom and wit in this book. I call it The Freshman Project. 

 

Together we offer our best insights, advice and wisdom on these topics:

 

KNOW THAT COLLEGE IS REAL LIFE

• Build Confidence - Erin Fischer

• Practice Resilience - Scott Greenberg

• Be a Beginner - William Foran

• Manage Change - Judson Laipply, M.Ed.

 

LEAD YOURSELF FIRST

• Navigate Depression and Anxiety - Rachel Eskridge, M.Ed.

• Succeed with Sweat - Kristin Joy Gibson, M.Ed.

• Understand Bystander Behavior - Andrea R.B. Kleekamp, M.S.Ed.

• Sleep Smart - Adele Wiejaczka

• Be Knowledgeable About Sex - Kathryn Filipek, MPAS, PA-C

• Consider What You Put in Your Body - Beth DeRicco, Ph.D.

 

BUILD COLLEGE RELATIONSHIPS

• Make Real Connections - Dan Bureau, PhD.

• Consider Fraternity/Sorority Life - Ellen and John Shertzer

• Master Conflict with Your Roommates - Mandi Dilling, M.Ed.

• Buld Healthy Love Relationships - Alexis Kollay D'Ettorre

 

KNOW THAT COLLEGE IS REAL WORK

• Pick a Major - Abigail Sara Lewis, Ph.D.

• Create Your Board of Directors - Lucy Shaffer Croft, Ed.D.

• Survive Failure - Allie Stalter

• Place a Priority on Grades - Samuel R. Mauck

• Tune Into Your Body Image - Sarah Diaz, MSW

 

LEAD WHILE YOU ARE ON CAMPUS

• Find Your Affinity Group - Erin Fischer

• Honor the Differences - Sharrell Hassell-Goodman, M.Ed., M.S.Ed.

• Create a Cocoon and Get Out of It - Dan Bureau, Ph.D.

• Discover Leadership Opportunities - Krystal N. Clark, M.Ed.

 

FINAL WISDOM

• The First Two Weeks - Guillermo Flores

• If You Forget Everything Else - Katherine Drotos Cuthbert

 

FOR PARENTS ONLY

• Move the Finish Line - Shannon Fischer

 

WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR?

College freshmen, this is for YOU and all those near and dear to you -- the first generation students, the LGBT students, the students who will fight for their rights, as well as the nervous-beyond-belief students, the happy-to-have-freedom students, the students with no major, the students with a master plan, the students who are doing a FBI search on their roommate as we speak, the shy and introverted students, the wild and crazy students, the students who are paying for college on their own, and the students who are hoping for the next best adventure.

 

OUR TAKE.

The decision to write this book was easy, and the ideas came quickly. I started to reach out to all of my colleagues who have expertise in so many areas of the collegiate experience in order to gather the wisdom. I am not an expert in each of these core areas, but I am well connected, and I know that knowledge is power. My hope is that with the insight of all of these experts, we will prepare the next generation of college students for a higher rate of success. I don’t want them to survive college. I want them to leave with a rich experience.