Meet Alexa Alpaugh, of the Real Deal Girls Project. She graduated just a few short months ago from Shippensburg University with a degree in Communications / Journalism / Public Relations. Here’s a quick interview to give you a bit of insight into our work and also “tips from those in the know” for girls heading off to school in the fall!
Favorite thing about freshman year:
meeting all new people & friends. You don’t really think that your “new college friends” will connect with you like your high school friends… But I’m probably closest to my college friends now.
Toughest thing about freshman year:
missing my family & home often. What I wish I knew heading into college: if you aren’t sure where you want to go or what you want to do… That’s ok. Don’t settle at a school just because. If you need to take some extra time to decide, and take a semester at a community college, do it. It’ll be worth it in the long run.
Words of Wisdom for Other Real Deal Girls in Our Growing Community:
Your college years fly. Even quicker than high school. Just enjoy every moment of the ride. You’re going to miss your friends from home, your family and your home. But in four short years… You’ll be back. I’ll never forget when I was really struggling my freshman year and missing home.. A high school teacher of mine said, “Alexa, just enjoy college! Be happy, make tons of friends and memories… Be smart, take opportunities and chances and have fun. Home will always be there…..” IT’S TRUE! I’m not gonna say I wish I could go back and change blahblahblah… Because I think by the end of my college years, I finally felt at home and in place.
It takes time but you need to give it all a chance. I wanted to transfer many times but if you don’t entirely hate your school… Give it a chance and you’ll realize it all happened for a reason.
