Issue 26(2)
My
freshman year: What a professor learned by becoming a student.
(2005). Rebekah Nathan.
Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 186 pp. $24. ISBN #
0-8014-4397-0.
Review
by: Jessica Bigger
Graduate
Student
Kansas
State
University
My
Freshman Year is an intriguing
look into college life from an anthropologist's point of view.
Rebekah Nathan (now known to be Cathy Small from Northern Arizona
University) was perplexed as a professor and wanted to know why
college students acted as they did: rude, disengaged, cheating
and apparently not interested in their education. She got the
idea to go undercover as a freshman student after auditing a number
of classes and hearing student conversations that piqued her interest.
This began a yearlong ethnographic study in which Nathan lived
in the residence halls, attended classes, and in all regards became
a freshman student. Her research and findings are based on observations
in classes, her residence hall, and the campus in general as well
as interviews with students.
Some
of the topics covered include life in the residence halls, community
and diversity on campus, the art of managing college life, and
a discussion of academics. I found Nathan's discussion of community
and diversity particularly interesting. In short, with all of
the impetus institutions put on building diversity and community
on campus, students continue to form close bonds with those who
are like themselves. She does make the point that students are
more likely now than in previous generations to have friends and
acquaintances who are culturally different, but for all of the
effort and programming to promote diversity on campus not much
has changed when in comes to who students choose to have in their
close social networks.
Nathan
also addresses the issue of what students are doing with their
time while at college, which is not necessarily studying (on average
only 1 hour and 45 minutes per day). Almost half of the students
were working an average of 15 hours per week and students were
spending more time volunteering and with professional organizations
in order to get ahead in their field. These factors help explain
why students seem more disengaged and less prepared for classes.
The
importance of academics versus the overall college experience
is an overriding theme. Nathan illustrates this in discussions
on cheating (what is considered cheating and what is not) and
students' attitudes towards classes and professors. Through her
observations, both in class and in conversations with students,
Nathan finds that students value the college experience more than
the actual course work; most students feel they learn more outside
of class than through their coursework.
Throughout
the book Nathan makes interesting observations that range from
how students schedule classes to the topics on residence halls
bulletin boards and student doors. Overall My Freshman Year
is a very interesting look at how today's students maneuver
and manage their college careers. Some of Nathan's findings may
seem self-evident to those that work with students on a daily
basis, but her method and insight provide a tangible and substantive
understanding of those things students may not share freely.
****************************************************
Review by: Megan Parker
Program
Coordinator, New Student Programs
Iowa State University
Rebekah
Nathan conducted the ultimate anthropological study by immersing
herself in the first-year student experience at a large, public
university. Nathan took a year-long sabbatical from her faculty
position, enrolled in classes and moved into the residence halls
to not only examine, but become a part of, student life at her
university. My Freshman Year sheds light on the life
of today's college student through the author's experiences in
and outside of the classroom.
The
book chronicles the author's experiences as a student beginning
with the application process, through new student orientation,
to life in the residence halls before delving into the academic
realm. Nathan includes a hefty dose of experiments throughout
the book that explore issues of diversity, community, and "college
management" (p.110), accompanied by interesting commentary on
the experiences of international students in the American student
culture.
My
Freshman Year is an easy
read that can help advisors examine how their own practices encourage
or discourage students, and raises interesting questions about
the messages universities send about the meaning and goals of
a college education. But advisors beware: this book is not for
the faint of heart. Those looking for a motivating, uplifting
book to jump-start their advising season should look elsewhere.
If the book
is to be believed, there is much work to be done in educating
our students and the outlook is grim. One must also question how
close Nathan's experience as a fifty-something faculty member
was to that of the largely twenty-something student body. But
for those who are removed from the student experience and need
a fresh glance at the life of today's students, this book provides
an intimate snapshot of student life.
**************************************************
Review by: Karla Mae
Elling
Administrative Specialist
Records and Registration
Iowa State University
Overall I felt the book reiterated what I believed
who today's students are. Students in the book seem less interested
in the intellectual development, but motivated more than ever
to come to college. There seems to be a disconnect in what colleges
and universities expect to give to students and what students
want from the college experience. For example, students are hardly
heard discussing course material outside of class in comparison
to decades ago where groups of students met regularly outside
of class in order to dig deeper into course-related material. What
is the difference now? Why are we not mimicking the past? I believe the
evidence of how we know our students are being educated needs
to change. Students in the book still graduated with great GPAs
even though less and less time is being dedicated to their intellect. One
of the reasons the book states that less time is devoted to studying
is that students feel they need to be employed while in school. In
my own department we utilize student workers and do not think
twice of how their job might impede their academics. I do not
believe that not employing students will make a difference. I
believe that students work in order to provide themselves the
entire "college experience" and that we are a mere stepping stone
their future. In order for me to take personal responsibility
to ensure that students receive a quality experience, I should
and will ask them more in-depth questions about their course work. They
need to be questions that avoid the one-word response. It will
take more thinking on my part to have a more engaging conversation,
however, the reason why I am at this institution is because of
students. I need to learn from them.
