With the excitement of graduation alive in the hallways at Rider, and the stress of life after high school developing throughout the 2014 graduating class, past graduates Kayla Holcomb (class of 2013) and Lindsey Segert (class of 2011) reflect on their years at Rider and how their experiences here resurface in their life now.

Holcomb, who just completed her first year at Abilene Christian University, jumped into many of her major classes because of the AP classes she took at Rider.

“AP definitely made a big difference coming into college” she said. “It put me right on track. The AP test I took prepared me for the college level finals because they are similar in nature: studying and length wise.”

The rigorous pace of AP classes her junior and senior years prepared Holcomb for the cut and dry nature of college classrooms.

Segert’s senior year was a “blow-off” and looking back now wishes she would have taken it more seriously, she said.

“I didn’t do anything my senior year and after you go a whole year without doing anything productive, it is hard to get back into swing of things in college,” she said. “It’s like ‘Yeah! My senior year, I don’t have to do anything!’ but a couple classes to prepare me for the drastic change from high school to college would have been helpful.”

Both Segert and Holcomb have learned study habits that help retain all the knowledge they must remember for classes.

Holcomb said everyone at ACU has learned the “power” of writing all your notes on white boards.

“Don’t be afraid to go and take over an empty classroom,” she said. “Sometimes you just need that quiet, away from everybody, and space that’s not in the library.”

Segert’s main study tool acquired from college is simple she said.

“Don’t wait until the night before to study because that is awful!” she said. “Whenever you are in high school you think you’ll be able to put it off and remember it better if you do, but the college prep class I took my first year taught me that ‘s one of the worst things you can do to because you don’t retain anything. It’s recommended to study two hours after every hour of class you take.”

By staying at home to attend MSU, Segert said that a benefit she has is the comfort of her friends and family.

“When people move off, they have nobody and that adds to the stress” she said. “You get to experience of moving off on your own and have to figure out life for yourself, though. You get things from both options that the other doesn’t offer.”

The horrifying myth of college cafeterias aren’t existent at ACU Holcomb said.

“One of my friends at another colleges said that she absolutely does not eat at the dining hall because it is disgusting,” Holcomb said. “The food here at ACU is really good like 90% of the time, even though we like to complain.”

However, the myth that is unquestionably true is the “Freshman 15” Holcomb and Segert both said. The gaining of 15 pounds your first year at college seems to be unavoidable.

“Well, the ‘Freshman 15’ is definitely the ‘Freshman 30’ now,” Segert said. “You’re just so stressed out and you don’t have time or money for healthy food. You are broke and you are hungry, so umhealthy is cheapest for you to get.”

Holcomb also said beware of the weight gain.

“Everyone said watch out for that, and they were not kidding,” she said. “When you are eating on your own, it’s a big change. I’ve seen people put on the pounds and not even notice.”

Whether you stay home or move off after high school, Segert said that she advises that seniors shouldn’t slack.

“Your associates is supposed to take you two years to get and it has taken me three because of me slacking,” she said “I was just less motivated than I should have been.”

Holcomb said that the best thing to do after graduating is to get excited.

“There are so many new opportunities that you don’t even know about in high school,” Holcomb said. “Honestly, when people say that college is the best years of your life, they aren’t kidding.”