By Sofia Hadley
LLC Peer Ambassador
University Housing

Dear Freshman Sofia,

Sofia Hadley

Wow, they aren’t lying when they say these are the fastest four years of your life. I remember when I was where you are, sitting in your first college lecture feeling so overwhelmed and small. I remember when you read your schedule wrong and completely missed the first day of your college algebra class. Oh, and let’s not forget about the time you left your car here during Thanksgiving break and, when you came back, how you thought someone had stolen your car only to realize that it had actually been towed.

I remember living in a Living Learning Community, or LLC, on a floor of people I had so much in common with and how close we became after a year of living in such close proximity. I know you joined this LLC thinking it was an organization that guaranteed you the residence hall you wanted to live in. Some of your friends joined because they wanted to live on a floor with everyone in the same college and have a guaranteed homework partner. All the participants had a unique reasoning for joining and gained something different from being in an LLC, but we all left our freshman year more equipped for everyday life thanks to this program.

You will gain an appreciation for LLCs knowing that you are a part of a program that is much bigger than yourself. Universities across the country, including Vanderbilt and the University of Texas, have adopted these communities as well. The LLC program at the University of Arkansas is continually looking to expand and improve our current LLC base which includes: Business, Agriculture Food & Life Sciences, Air Force ROTC, Diversity Scholars, Music, English, Engineering and International Education LLC. 

You will find your freshman year experience of this community will push you to be a part of this expansion throughout the rest of your time here at the U of A. 

Being involved in the LLC program will only be part of this first year of numerous peaks and valleys. I can promise that you will be challenged in ways that you didn’t think were possible, but hey, I’m sitting here writing you now alive and well, so the good news is that you survived. I think it will be helpful for you to keep these things in mind:

You will gain some amazing friends, but you will also lose touch with friends that you thought would be in your life forever.

You will learn how to interact with people who are polar opposite from you, and who knows, they may even the best friend you make at college.

Despite what your parents advised, you will pull your first all-nighter and ace your test. You might even fail a test or two, and when you think that grade is the end of your college career, I am here to comfort you in telling you that one grade truly does not matter. 

But most importantly, you will learn the exact time you need to wake up in order to snooze your alarm twice, get ready, and run to class with two minutes to spare. Though you may feel like a small fish in a very large ocean, I promise you will find your place at this University and gain experiences and connections that will impact you for the rest of your life.

Above all, I plead that you savor every moment because as I am sitting here writing to you, I would give anything to press the rewind button. I am so excited for your future. Here’s to the best four years of your life.