Sarah is heading off to college for her freshman year. She is nervous about everything! There is choosing the right degree despite her father suggesting to major in engineering. And then, there is the social element at university. Finding new friends is essential to college life! And what about the friends at home? Sarah Mai captures the essence of the first year in college in her graphic memoir, Freshman Year.Â
Leaving Home
Sarah is nervous about leaving home because she has a life in Minnesota. Her boyfriend, Ben, has professed his love for her. Sarah’s friends serve as her backbone as they are always present for every big thing that happens in her life.
But everything changes when she heads off to college.
Sarah is thrust into a world she doesn’t understand. She is forced to make new friends and challenged to keep her relationship with Ben alive. Everything ultimately falls apart and keeps going South. Such is life when you are new to the world of adulthood.
Old Friends and New Friends
It isn’t until Sarah’s second semester of college that she realizes it’s possible to have new and old friend groups. Of course, the old friends may not always have time to hang out. Limited availability, however, doesn’t mean relationships must end.
Even so, juggling friendships from college and her hometown is a feature that doesn’t end. Even at the end of the book, Sarah is uncertain about many things, including the relationships she will build during her second year of college.
The Future Is Unknown
One aspect of this book that I especially enjoy is the notion of the future being unknown. From the beginning, the reader understands Sarah’s inability to have anything figured out. Even the facial expressions of the characters speak of restlessness.
Sarah Mai does a fantastic job of capturing the true vibe of campus life for first-year students in Freshman Year. School is not a place of institutionalized higher learning during the first year of college. It is instead a place where you get to learn about yourself and those around you. Mai conveys this through her main character and illustrations that serve to bolster the overall storyline.
Not Just For College Freshmen
Of course, high school seniors preparing for college could find this book both helpful and entertaining. Freshman Year by Sarah Mai, however, is for more than just one group.
Middle School students may want to read this book because of the illustrations. High School kids may pick up Mai’s creation out of curiosity. They may see themselves in the main character even if two more years of high school await them.
Even adults can get something from Freshman Year. Because who hasn’t had to juggle relationships and determine what truly matters in life? Sarah Mai’s book is nearly safe for the whole family.