As the leaves change colors, the sun sets earlier and the air starts to get brisk, students are switching their mindsets from summer-mode to lock-in season as fall begins.
For students like Sarah Meyers, a sophomore psychology student on the pre-law track, despite spending most of her summer on the beaches of New Jersey, she’s excited to experience fall in Pittsburgh.
“I just love fall in Pittsburgh, and I’m so excited to experience that again,” Meyers said. “It’s definitely an adjustment to not be super close to a beach, and the weather is a little more bipolar here than it is on the East Coast, but I’m adjusting pretty well.”
Many students spent their summer break getting outside of Pittsburgh and traveling to warmer, coastal locations. Olivia Pesta, a sophomore communication science student, went to the West Coast to visit California for the first time this summer.
“I went with my friend and her family to L[os] A[ngeles] and Disneyland,” Pesta said.
While visiting the Golden State, Pesta also visited Joshua Tree Park, which sparked her desire for a national park passport.
Even though she had a fun summer traveling, Pesta said she is excited for an Oakland fall with her friends.
“I’m from Scranton,” Pesta said. “So I was getting a little bored at home. I’m really excited to be back.”
Kate Sakdalan, a senior biology major, feels the same way about the summer-into-fall transition. Sakdalan spent her last college summer at home in northern New Jersey studying for the MCAT, with a brief vacation break for a cruise to Bermuda. Even though Sakdalan is still repping a summer tan, she’s excited for her final Pittsburgh fall.
“I’m super excited for it to get a little bit cooler,” Sakdalan said. “I’m ready for the sweaters, the jackets, Halloween.”
As a senior, Sakdalan has mixed emotions coming into this academic year.
“I’m feeling excited, I would say, because I feel like I’ve been kind of waiting for my senior year this whole time, but I’m also a little sad,” Sakdalan said. “Everything feels like my last time doing it.”
Bella Lijoi, a senior biochemistry student, is similarly trying to “fit it all in” with classes, research and a social life.
“I’m trying to say yes to everything, [like] going out,” Lijoi said. “But also trying to get all my classes in and lock in when I need to lock in.”
Lijoi spent her summer studying in the Arndt lab, which focuses on epigenetics. Lijoi joined Arndt last year and plans to spend the rest of her senior year researching there, while also making room for senior year fun.
“I’ve kind of loaded everything up to the first two days of the week so that the rest I can not do as much,” Lijoi said. “[I’m] definitely going to as many sports games as possible — at least all the football games and a couple basketball games.”
First-year students, including Sam Matlock, a finance student, are looking forward to their year at Pitt, too.
“Welcome week was fun, and I am excited to start the school year here,” Matlock said.
Matlock is starting his first semester with 17 course credits, which mostly consist of gen-ed requirements. He’s looking to add a job on top of his schedule while also making time for social activities, like celebrating Pitt sports.
“I’m really looking forward to Pitt football games and tailgates,” Matlock said. “I would also definitely join something [that has] to do with soccer because I played in high school.”
Meyers is looking forward to finally getting away from the gen-ed courses and taking classes that are more geared towards the psychology curriculum.
“I’m actually getting into my major now, and I’m excited to learn about that,” Meyers said.
Even as a senior, Sakdalan is getting to see both sides of the student age experience as a resident assistant in Tower A, which she called “the best tower.”
“This is gonna be my first full year with them, so I’m pretty excited to get to know each of them and go to events with them and stuff like that,” Sakdalan said.
Since she’s about to graduate, Sakdalan only has to take 12 credits this semester. On top of classes and her RA position, Sakdalan is also co-president of Women in Healthcare at Pitt and marketing director of Girl Gains at Pitt. All of Sakdalan’s commitments have her looking forward to what she expects to be a great year.
“It’s a nice life,” Sakdalan said. “It’s a nice life for sure.”
