The fall semester has started back up again!! Stan State welcomes back continuing students and greets a new class of Warriors.
Every student can remember their first day of university, nerve-wracking but exciting. Stan State understands how scary this new and unfamiliar experience could be. Luckily, four Warriors were eager to share some advice for their underclassmen.
Daniel Ameyaw (Senior, Liberal Studies) is a student athlete here at Stanislaus graduating in the summer of 2026. His advice to underclassmen and athletes is: “Start strong with the first step and try to get away with the distractions that will come your way cause there will be a lot of distraction,” Ameyaw said.
Reflecting on his own first year, he added, “I remember my freshman year I came in not really focusing on like academics, and my advice for them is to come locking in right away and like you know get away with like the distractions and just you know focus, start strong and that will help them in the long run.”
Emily Torres (Senior, English major) graduating in May 2026, talks about how she was able to stay on track by managing her time and using the school’s learning resources: “Always be on time to classes cause being on time does matter, cause professors start on the dot. Using the tutoring center also helped me during my first semester here, I did have a bit of a hiccup but I managed to get back on track with the tutoring,” Torres said.
Emily continues to say how time management plays a big part for a lot of college students and how it’s important to manage their time. Luckily the schools tutoring and learning center can help students develop and grow these skills. 
Picture of David Morones (Senior, Psychology) sitting outside in the Demergasso-Bava Hall area. (Emaan Nawabi)David Morones (Senior, Psychology major) advises students to plan ahead: “Plan your exams ahead of time, once you get your hands on a syllabus look ahead on what needs to be done, put that on a calendar and time accordingly,” Morones said.
“If you’re a commuter, definitely join a club because you’re going to be on campus for a good while, try to wait out the traffic,” he said as advice to students who commute.
According to the Escalon Times, 92% of students at Stanislaus commute to school, while only 8% live on campus. While students are on campus for longer hours they can explore the campus, make new friends, and even join a club.
Elizabeth Fox (Senior, History major) has two more semesters left before she graduates. Her advice for underclassmen, “Stay organized and make friends in classes, make friends with professors, that’s by far the best.” Fox said.
Fox continues, “I found the best, was to make class group chats so that everyone has access to the same piece of information so it doesn’t feel like you’re constantly bothering your professors. Then you can just go to your classmates and they can help you out.”
Making friends with students in classes can allow students to become more confident and have somebody to reach out to when they are feeling stuck.
According to The National Library of Medicine, “Peer connections and friendships often result in collaborative learning and the exchange of academic ideas, improving comprehension and retention of course materials, ultimately leading to higher GPAs.”
The seniors shared their advice for upcoming freshmen and underclassmen, reminding them they are not alone. Resources on campus are available to support students from mental health services to simply having someone to talk to. Counseling and Psychological Services offer free counseling for all enrolled Stan State Students, with professionals ready to help in any circumstance.