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Enrollment Up As Students Return To Fredonia

FREDONIA — With the holiday season complete and the January blues in full effect, preparing for the upcoming semester may seem like a dreadful task. However, some students at the State University of New York at Fredonia are feeling the exact opposite and heading into this next chunk of the school year with full force.

The spring 2019 semester, which starts Wednesday, is expected to bring back 4,631 undergraduate students. The previous 2017-18 school year brought about a significant turnaround, with almost a 25 percent jump in enrollment and placing second as the largest year in Fredonia’s history.

This student body size has remained stable going into the current semester, and the wave of new faces around campus is just one of the things that is making some students eager to get back on campus.

“It’s refreshing to see so many new faces around the halls and in classes,” junior Jill Kessler said. “Knowing that I’m going back to a more lively campus really makes me excited and it’s cool to think about what mix of new and familiar faces I’m going to be surrounded with.”

Not only are the appearances of new faces a motivation, but getting back to being involved and staying occupied is something Kessler can’t wait for, a feeling many students might be able to agree on. Holiday breaks are great for relaxing and catching up with family, but often times boredom can take over.

The new semester gives students the ability to jump back into a routine, not only by participating in classes but by partaking in one of over 100 organizations offered around campus. Whether it’s gearing up for the spring sports season, getting back to writing for the school newspaper or picking tunes for the school’s radio station, there’s something for everyone on campus to either look forward to getting back to or try out for the very first time.

“I can’t wait to be active and start dancing with my teammates again, and I also can’t wait to see what new members we get to join our family,” Kessler said in regards to her participation in the Fredonia Dance Team.

Getting through this last chunk of the school year will be challenging for some, especially when winter comes to an end and warmer weather will signal final exam season. Staying motivated and keeping track of future goals seems to do the trick for some, a helpful tip that can be adopted by other students who do happen to suffer from the post-break blues.

“I feel much more motivated for this coming spring semester since we are not coming back from a long summer vacation and it also helps that it’s in the middle of winter so nice weather is not a distraction yet,” junior Lauren Arcoraci said. “My motivation to get through this semester is to keep reminding myself that if I push myself to the best of my ability, it will eventually pay off. Everyone on campus just needs to focus on that same mentality and this semester will be a breeze.”

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