Navigating Campus Life with PLNU Students

As spring semester picks up speed, students are becoming familiar with their daily routines and how their classes, social lives and extracurricular activities fit into it. Each student at Point Loma Nazarene University’s campus has a unique experience day to day. 

As fourth year (Literature-English Education) Elijah Ratermanis wraps up his final year of college, he looks ahead to his post-grad plans. 

“My plan after I graduate is to get my teaching credential and become an English teacher,” Ratermanis said. 

Ratermanis is currently a resident assistant (RA) in Hendricks Hall and writing center tutor. He has learned how to find time to hang out with his friends and be social while balancing classes and extracurriculars. 

“This is something I’m working on,” Ratermanis said. “I’ll do my homework that I feel like really needs to get done later at night, before the next day. Honestly, I make more time for friends than classes, but that’s just because I love and learn so much from people.” 

Ratermanis reminisced on his time at Point Loma, coming in as a transfer. 

“The biggest challenge I faced was transfering here. As a junior, since junior year was my first [year at PLNU], I think it came with more challenges than I expected it to. The challenge of coming from community college, where I didn’t have connections, I was online during COVID-19,” Ratermanis said.

Ratermanis describes himself as “a social butterfly,” which made his COVID-19 years in college difficult for him. 

“Suddenly being in a space where I couldn’t express that socially, that side of myself, was really tough and I felt very limited,” Ratermanis said.

Ashley Lemus, third year applied health, expressed going through the same process. 

“Going that long without a time of seeing anyone besides your family, once we were out I was eager to see my friends,” Lemus said.

Juniors and seniors at Point Loma had similar experiences with COVID-19, coming into college after the COVID-19 years. 

Lemus discovered PLNU through her sister’s friend. She has been at PLNU since she was a freshman. 

“It was a really cool and small campus which I liked a lot. I liked the smaller classrooms and [it is] a very community-based school and I like the environment here and the view,” Lemus said.

Lemus is also an RA in Hendricks Hall. She discussed how she manages her time between the role and being a student. 

“I don’t think I have as much homework, like my higher division classes focus on how much you know the information rather than busy work. I have a task app on my computer where I put all of my assignments,” Lemus said.

Charlie Huter, second year (Kinesiology), has a busy schedule and manages it by staying on top of tasks. 

“I try to get my assignments done before the day they’re due. I study throughout the day for anatomy,” Huter said.

Huter offered some tips for incoming college students.

 “Try not to sweat about grades and school. An important part is to live in the moment. Obviously prioritize school, but try to not focus so much on the future and be present. It goes by really quickly,” Huter said. “I learned that. I’m almost done with my sophomore year.”