Written by Marie Kane |

Photos by Alexa Schmidt & Marie Kane

Morgan graduate Alexa Schmidt graduated from Morgan with the class of 2017. She is now a college student at Quinnipiac University, as a health sciences major and loves it. She played for Morgan softball all four years of high school. She also did cheer in her freshman and sophomore year but stopped junior year to work. What Alexa misses about high school is having all of her friends in one place and being able to hang out with them every day.

Business education teacher Ryan Richitelli said, “It was a pleasure having Alexa as a student in accounting and personal finance in her senior year.” One word he used to

describe her is fun because he thinks that she is charismatic. “One time she said, ‘excuse me I need to take this call’ and just walked out, but in all fairness, it was for college purposes so we let it fly.”

“I am so happy here and even happier with my decision to come here.” Her college experience is all positive. She explained how the first couple of days were difficult since she has never been away from her family for long and because every vacation she has been on was with her family or best friend.

Alexa takes biology, biology lab, math, medical terminology, leisure wellness (pilates), first-year seminar and intro to academic writing. Pilates meets for 50 minutes a week. Her favorite class is medical terminology. This is because it’s her “first dip into the medical field” which helps her see the different parts of the field along with the terminology used. The class Alexa is the least fond about is the first-year seminar. “It is not what you would think it is; it is more of a discussion based class on topics not necessarily relevant to what is going on on campus,” but she admitted that the class is helpful. Alexa likes the freedom of college better; however, she prefers the high school workload.

Because classes started, and she is getting more involved, she is having a great experience. Before college, Alexa was very excited and very nervous. “It’s a big adjustment, especially coming from Clinton where everyone knows everyone.” Now that Alexa is there at college, she is no longer nervous and is super comfortable, and it helps her that she has gotten into a routine.

The one word that Alexa used to describe college is social. “You are always meeting someone new or doing something new, and the best way to make friends is to step out of your comfort zone and do something you have never done before.” Her favorite part of college is the independence and freedom and all of the activities going on in the week to get college students involved. What she doesn’t like is that classes are much different than they are in high school, which “forces you to learn in different ways and challenge yourself in different ways than before which can be tough.”

Alexa described living in a dorm as a great experience, although she wishes there was air conditioning. She lives in an upperclassmen suite with five other girls. The dorm has three bedrooms, a bathroom, a common room, and a kitchen. “I love the building I am in, and I don’t think I could switch to living in a normal double after living here.”