Easing the transition to campus life

View from the Hill: Britta Gibson

I am not exactly sure how it happens, but at the beginning of every school year I find myself with an office full of students. They come in to hang out between classes, discuss the latest “Twilight” rumors, or get advice about living with their roommates. Before long, they become a permanent fixture in my office. I can expect to see them at least once a week. Sometimes they have questions. Sometimes they are just stopping by to visit. This is the part of my job that I enjoy the most – serving as an unofficial “campus mom.”

At Pikeville College, we realize that beginning your college career can be intimidating. We want to do all we can to ensure a smooth transition and have developed a variety of programs to help students make the adjustment, including identifying at least one person on campus they can go to with questions or concerns.

Our First-Year Studies class is one of the programs designed to help students make that transition by creating a connection with a faculty or staff member, providing opportunities to meet peers and introducing students to the history and traditions of Pikeville College. Through a variety of fun activities, this course introduces students to the expectations professors have in the classrooms while also discussing issues such as homesickness, managing stress and anxiety, and financial planning. The students in these classes inevitably find themselves in their professors’ offices, just to check in or ask advice.

If you are one of those students out there spending the summer wondering what your college experience at Pikeville is going to be like, you can quit worrying and go enjoy your break. When you get here, someone will be here for you, ready to answer your questions, discuss your favorite movie, or give you a word of encouragement. We can’t wait to meet you in the fall!

Britta Gibson is the assistant dean for student services at Pikeville College.