Ben Lawson Breaks the Ice, Makes Friends at BGSU

Hey future Falcon, my name is Ben Lawson and I am a rising second-year student from Tipp City, Ohio. I am majoring in Adolescent Young Adult (AYA) Math Education with hopes of becoming a high school math teacher, and perhaps even an administrator one day. Bowling Green State University has allowed me to meet so many incredible people in just one year. I have made deeper friendships in that one year than I have in the entirety of high school.

Fall Welcome was single handedly one of the scariest few days of my life. I was moving into a dorm with five random guys. Needless to say, I was extremely nervous to meet them. Not to mention being submerged with over 3,500 other first year students. Although that number may seem daunting to any first-year student, it is important for you to realize that number should also give you hope. Those 3,500 students share one important thing in common. They are all moving into a new home, leaving their old lives to start a new academic journey. They are in the exact same shoes as you. Everyone is on equal playing field and looking for new friends. You have 3,500 candidates all with various backgrounds, passions, hobbies, and interests. With so many new people to meet, it is imperative to take the initiative and break the ice.

Fall Welcome at BG gives first-years every opportunity imaginable to put themselves out there and meet new people. They open the door for you, you just need to walk through it. You will be tempted to stay in your room and just chill, take things slow, and relax. After all, move-in itself is an emotional experience. However, hiding in your room will only make things harder. I speak from experience when I say the more activities you do, the better. Me and my roommates had so much fun going to as many Fall Welcome activities (yes even the cheesy ones) throughout the weekend. This was an easy way for all of us to get familiar with one another right from the start. We also made numerous friends who lived all around campus. These relationships allowed us to make connections with students who would later be in our classes, clubs, and even dorm all of which only makes the campus feel more like home.

While taking initiative to build relationships with other students is crucial, it’s not the only relationships you should plan to make. Establishing connections with faculty is also super important to have a successful year at BG. Developing relationships with your professors, academic advisors, and residential advisors will prove to benefit you tremendously. These people want nothing more than to see you succeed, however they are responsible for hundreds of students. Don’t wait for a faculty member to come knock on your door to say hi just because you are in their class. Take the initiative to introduce yourself to them. A little effort goes a long way. These individuals will be there for you through thick and thin. Before you know it, you will have a full Falcon Family all around you to provide support and guidance through any scenario.        

I challenge you to put yourself out there. You won’t regret it.

Best,
Ben Lawson
Class of ‘22