The second half of the 2023-2024 school year has recently begun, and with that the topic of college is once again occupying the minds of many seniors. Planning for college is a delicate yet stressful process that many students struggle with, despite it being a very exciting step into a new chapter in their lives.  One of the most popular colleges among senior students is the University of Michigan.  Schreiber alumnus and former Schreiber Times staff member Ethan Rotko (Class of ‘23) began his journey at Michigan at the start of this school year.  

Michigan was a top contender to Rotko for many reasons, all with important parts of a successful college career. 

“I chose Michigan because of its great political science program, great school spirit, its diverse student body, great sports and social life, and the fact that it isn’t too far from New York,” said Rotko.

The University of Michigan is known for its school spirit across the country.  The school’s football team, the Wolverines, are the main cause of this fandemonium.  During games, students dress up in their school’s jerseys or merchandise, paint their faces, and cheer loud and proud to support the Wolverines.  Alumni of the school also tend to come to many of the games.  

“Whenever you see the maize-and-blue take the field in The Big House, you’ll soar along with over 100,000 other cheering Wolverines,” states the Michigan website.

Academically, the school has many great programs that are tailored to different majors — in Ethan’s case, political science.  Within the Department of Political Science, there are many courses that students can take, such as American Politics, Comparative Politics, and World Politics, which all can help improve analytical and communication skills, which is beneficial to people who work in this field.

With a lot of work on new student’s hands, they must find places to study and complete work regularly, and there are many places to do that.  Rotko says that his favorite places to study are the Wintergarden at the Ross School of Business and the undergraduate library on campus.  He likes these places because of their wide array of seating options, and the Wintergarden has two nice cafes, the Siegel cafe, and a classic Starbucks.  

Michigan describes the Wintergarden as “the center of our collaborative learning community.”  It is a huge space in the building consisting of a variety of tables, chairs, and couches, and has wooden walls and bright glass pillars that stretch to the ceiling.  

A big part of life in college is where you live.  Usually there are dorms for housing, and Michigan has many different buildings and houses both on and off campus for students to live in. 

“The housing here is very nice, all the dorms are doubles and most of them have air conditioning.  I live in the South Quad which has its own dining hall that I really enjoy,” said Rotko. 

The South Quad is located on Central Campus near the Michigan Union. The co-ed building is home to almost 1,200 students.  It mostly consists of first-year students.  Because of its popular dining hall that serves a variety of food, there is always a lot of communication and activity between the students who live in the South Quad.

Speaking of food, the food options are very diversified in the various dining halls. Every night, a new variety or cuisine of different foods is offered by the kitchen staff and specialized chefs.  With the many dining halls, cafes, and meal plans to choose from, there is always a tasty way to satisfy your craving for something sweet, salty, savory or anything else.  

There is also a good amount of options for people with dietary restrictions for both health or religious reasons.  If you are kosher, halal, or participating in Ramadan, there are many accommodations for that, such as designated areas and adjusted meal times for people who practice those diets.  

Also, people with food allergies or restrictions can speak with an appointed dietitian who will provide them with resources and information to help them choose the best option for themselves.

There are also many extracurricular activities for students to choose from at Michigan, with hundreds of clubs, organizations, and activities being offered. Rotko participates in two clubs at Michigan. He is part of a consulting club that helps business and political organizations with problem solving. Additionally, he is a member of the pre-law honor society, where there are many networking opportunities with older members of the club, so you can meet new people with similar interests. 

While the process of moving onto the next big step of a student’s life is quite stressful and difficult, it is always important to stick to a goal and go through with it. 

“The advice that I would give to students at Schreiber applying to Michigan is to definitely challenge yourself and take difficult classes because of the huge variety of courses Schreiber offers. They offer a huge amount of coursework that colleges love to see kids take advantage of and explore their interests. In addition, students should also try to participate in clubs within Schreiber, also based on your interests. Don’t simply do a club because you want it to look good on a resume, do it because you actually enjoy it,” said Rotko.