Southside High School students got a view into college life at the school’s recent Alumni Day. Twenty-nine former Southside students returned to the school on Dec. 19 to talk to current students about what they can expect when they head off to a higher education.

From freshmen to seniors, students learned about everything from what living in a dorm is like to whether professors are helpful — information that can help guide them through the next few years, according to Tina Petty, a Southside math teacher and organizer of the annual Alumni Day.

“One reason (for the event) is to open the kids eyes that they need to start, as a freshman, preparing for their future. And the second reason is for the juniors and seniors — to let them know what they might face going to college,” Petty said.

For those interested in a higher education, Alumni Day is a welcome source of information, Petty said.

“Several of them said it was great to hear from someone who is there, because they know it’s true — they’re living it now,” she said.

Every Southside student got a homeroom presentation from a graduate, now a college student, and seniors were invited to mingle with visiting alumni at the media center and have one-on-one conversations about particular colleges and majors they’re working toward.

North Carolina State University, East Carolina University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina A & T, the University of North Carolina system, Pitt Community College, Beaufort County Community College and more had representation through former
Southside students with majors ranging from education and social work to engineering and computer science.

Petty said it was a positive experience for those considering the next step in education.

“The ones that take it seriously got a lot out of it,” Petty said.