Despite the anxiety that some students have starting a new semester, some Eastern students said their first day exceeded their expectations, or at least met them.
Natalie Seals, a junior television and film production major, just transferred to Eastern this semester.
She said the classes at Eastern are different from the ones she took at community college.
“It’s a lot different, a university from a community college, so I was having that culture shock moment,” Seals said. “It’s hard coming from community college because I know the dance, but this is a bit of a tango and I was doing a waltz.”
Despite her anxiety, Seals still said she had confidence that she could get through the semester.
“I need to do several hours of YouTubing ‘How to Photoshop’ to get the basics of what people are talking about, but I feel like I should be able to survive,” Seals said. “I think I can pass.”
Anthony Curry, a sophomore computer and information technology major, said that his first day of class was easygoing.
“Most of my classes, we didn’t really do anything; (we) just went over the (syllabi),” Curry said. “Most of my classes let me leave early, so that’s nice.”
Curry did, however, have some disdain for one of his classes.
“One of my classes was English, my most hated subject, but I don’t really have a choice about that,” he said. “The English class was a little easier than I thought it would be.”
Sarah Fors, a junior elementary education major, said her classes are getting more exciting now that she is done with her general education requirements.
“(The first day) was good,” Fors said. “I’m in practicum for my major, which is elementary ed, so I’m excited.”
She said both her professors and classmates seemed eager to get into the course material.
“My teachers are very enthusiastic and excited to actually get into my major,” Fors said. “I think everyone in my classes is there for their major, so I think it makes it so they want to listen better, and also everyone is more interested, so I feel like there’s going to be more participation which makes it not as awkward as when your teacher is just talking at you.”
While Fors was feeling good about her classes and teachers, Seals said one of her professors was a little intimidating.
“I was kind of intimidated because he seems more strict than some of my professors at my community college,” Seals said. “I got the vibe that if you were absent you were like gone-zo, that’s it.”
Curry said that from his first impression, his classes and the people in them would be pretty good this semester.
“One day isn’t a lot to really get a read on people,” Curry said. “But so far it seems like it’s going to be a pretty easy semester.”

Allison Little can be reached at 581-2812 or aclittle2@eiu.edu.