Caitlin Dinh was born in Laguna Hills, CA before moving to Texas when she was five years old. As a college freshman, she’s moved back to California to attend Chapman University as an International Business major. Dinh gives insight into college life to help people who are considering going out-of-state and to highlight the college freshman experience for curious high school students.
Gabriella Anderson: Why did you decide to go out-of-state?
Caitlin Dinh: I chose California because I am familiar with it and I have family in the area. But I decided to go away from Texas because I wanted to be independent without having to rely on my family. I wanted the full-on experience: true independence.
Gabriella Anderson: What courses are you taking your first semester in college?
Caitlin Dinh: For the moment, I'm only taking GE (General education) classes. The way I scheduled my classes are pretty even, so it feels balanced. For my freshman fall semester, I planned on taking business courses, but I wasn't able to due to the classes being filled up. However, I'm glad I took GEs because it helped me ease myself into college.
Gabriella Anderson: Going out-of-state put you in a completely new environment. Do you have any tips with making friends?
Caitlin Dinh: Put yourself out there, a lot of people are in the same situation as you so don't be intimidated. How can they reject you if they don't even know you? I feel like when it comes to meeting people and joining clubs, you have to be very open-minded and seize the opportunities available to you.
Gabriella Anderson: Did you get homesick?
Caitlin Dinh: Yes.
Gabriella Anderson: How did you overcome that?
Caitlin Dinh: Well, it's not like an Advil pill where you can take it and you feel better. You have to give it time. If you have a good support system then you get used to it and find exciting things around you. For me personally, I was thinking about the long-term factor too much, so rather than thinking about too far into the future, focus on school and friends each day, then it becomes easier to handle.
Gabriella Anderson: How is having a roommate and how would you solve issues?
Caitlin Dinh: Having roommates is not difficult if you know how to be respectful of each other's spaces. For me and my roommate, we are chill with each other. For example, we tidy up after we do things, like if the toilet paper runs out and we were the last to use it, we replace it. For issues, I would make sure you talk to your roommate because there could be things that your roommate does that makes you upset or vice versa. But if the issue becomes really bad, you can always talk to the RA (Resident advisor).
Gabriella Anderson: What's your favorite part of this semester?
Caitlin Dinh: Since my school is on the smaller side, when I walk down the sidewalk I tend to see one or two familiar faces each time. It's nice being able to see people and recognize them rather than feeling like a needle in a haystack. I'm glad that I'm able to develop intimate and personal relationships with people.