Freshman footsteps | First steps on Locust

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Along the road to college admissions, the Class of 2013 was often flattened into statistics. They're artists, mathematicians and athletes. They boast an average SAT score of 2175, are 44-percent multicultural and hail from 71 different countries. And, like each crop of freshmen before it, the Class of 2013 is better and brighter than its predecessor.

But now that they're finally settling onto campus, it's time to look beyond the numbers.

This year, The Daily Pennsylvanian is following four freshmen through their first year of college. The occasional series will explore all aspects of the freshman journey, from moving in to cramming for finals - and everything in between.

From as close as suburban Pennsylvania and as far as New Delhi, with eyes on medical school and MBAs, these freshmen represent the diversity and spirit of their Class of 2013 cohort. Yet they also bring unique aspirations and anxieties - choosing a major, keeping off the Freshman 15 - that they're unpacking along with extra-long sheets and new Penn gear.

Nursing freshman Kerry McLaughlin will be transitioning from rural Lima, N.Y., and an all-girls Catholic high school - "needless to say," she says, "Penn and Philadelphia will be a big adjustment" but she can't wait to take advantage of all they offer.

Number one on Elizabeth Argall's to-do list? "Figure out what major to pursue!" After hearing about Penn from her brother, a junior, this College freshman from Nesquehoning, Pa., looks forward to crafting her own experience. Along the way, she hopes to solidify her academic interests and get involved on campus.

Studying at Wharton is a "life-long dream" for Shiv Kapoor from New Delhi, India. His goals include making friends from all over the world, and after school he wants to run his own entrepreneurial venture.

College freshman Jordan English, from Rowlett, Texas, is a sports fan who wants to become a neurosurgeon, with a family who wants her to turn everyone she meets into Republicans. This prospective Cognitive Science major says she chose Penn because "it just felt right … as corny as that sounds."

Join McLaughlin, Argall, Kapoor and English as they begin this new chapter of their lives. Look out for the first installment of the series next Wednesday.

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