By Brennan Doherty, University Communications and Marketing
Published Aug. 5, 2025
It may seem far off in the future, but the students moving into residence halls this week will one day put on Carolina Blue caps and gowns and become UNC-Chapel Hill graduates.
So what better sources for advice and tips on having a great Tar Heel experience than those who graduated just three months ago?
Check out what words of wisdom members of the Class of 2025 shared at Spring Commencement for Carolina’s incoming first-year students.
Professors, student organizations and University services are among the multitude of resources available at Carolina to help all students succeed.
Hasti Sadri, political science and peace, war and defense major“Professors’ office hours. Our professors are the coolest people in the world. They will help you out and take you places that you can’t even imagine. Talk to your professors. Reach out to them.”
Melanie Carmichael, human development and family studies major“I’ve used the Writing Center quite a few times and don’t love writing, but they have helped me, from breaking down how to write an outline to finishing my paper and then reviewing it finally. It just made me more confident in the work that I was submitting.”
Alexis Penny, psychology and political science major“Student organizations. You can make a lot of connections that way and meet a lot of different people. You can find different interests — things you like that you might not have known you liked before.”
Everyone can find their own unique strategy that works best for them, but Tar Heels who just completed their undergraduate experience have academic pointers to share — from involving friends and mastering time management to thinking more deeply during the studying process.
Kenny Roberts, computer science major“Don’t just memorize. A lot of the tests here are not going to be memorization-based; they’re more application-based. So don’t just learn something — learn how to apply it.”
Aishani Patel, biology major“Reach out to people in your class and form study groups. I feel like that’s a great way to learn, and it helps you make new friends.”
Caleb Tyler, environmental sciences and geography major“Start a week earlier than you think you need to. If you’re going to procrastinate, you need a cushion. Or lie to yourself: Tell yourself the due date is three days earlier than it actually is.”
With the benefit of hindsight, many students will finish college wishing they could go back in time and tell their younger self something they learned later on. Here are a few lessons learned from experience.
Kerwin Depaz-Donis, public policy major“It doesn’t have to look like the traditional four-year route. It actually took me longer, and that’s OK. God has a plan for everyone, and I just honor that. Don’t be in a rush.”
Yash Banga, neuroscience major“College is way different than high school and way different than what people tell you it will be. The people you meet here shape who you’re going to be in life. Surround yourself with people you want to be with.”
Lily Gray Flournoy, history major“I think all the different things accessible to you. There are so many great things, like drawing opportunities or taking walks with people through the campus. I think that definitely made my mental health so much better.”
The Tar Heel family is growing larger as UNC-Chapel Hill welcomes our biggest class yet. From aspiring pharmacists, lawyers and doctors to devoted family members, military veterans and researchers, each Tar Heel brings to Chapel Hill their own unique experiences, talents and passions to bolster our community and better the world.
After years of hard work, late nights and determination, they're joining the ranks of more than 367,000 Carolina alumni.
The Tar Heel experience goes beyond lecture halls and schoolwork. Learn more about student organizations and clubs at Carolina and how you can get involved in campus life.
After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, Carolina alumni continue to take their learned experiences from campus and use them to make great strides in their various career fields while bettering their communities.