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Subject:Re: QUERY: use of term "freshman/freshmen" From:"Shelly M. LaRock" <smlarock -at- MTU -dot- EDU> Date:Thu, 9 Mar 1995 00:28:00 EST
I think I'm jumping in kind of late on this thread,
but as a college student, I feel I'm in a good position
to answer this one.
I first heard the expression "second-year" student when
one of my friends started his second year of college,
but wasn't technically a sophomore (he hadn't earned
enough credits). He told me it was a way to let
people know he was in his second year without having
to tell them that, according to University records, he
was still a freshman.
Since then, I've never heard the term "freshman" from
anyone but freshmen. During my fourth year I told
people I was a senior, and they always asked, "Oh, so
you're going to make it in four years?" <thunderous
laughing follows>
I personally like "first-year". Now when I hear
"freshmen" I think of 13-year-old kids with braces.
