For many freshmen at the University of Oregon, the prospect of lecture courses containing hundreds of students intimidates many and can become overwhelming, but freshmen have the opportunity to reduce that anxiety with Freshmen Interest Groups. The purpose of FIGs is to bring students with similar interests together and collectively explore a theme framed by two lecture classes.

For many new students, the FIG was a helpful tool. Now that the FIG is coming to an end, many will miss the small class and the friends they have made in the course.

Freshman Hannah Tooley was glad she joined a FIG because it made her transition a lot easier and she was able to learn a lot about the resources available to her.

“I felt like the FIG connected both courses at the beginning of the term, but it seems to have connected more heavily with media and less with psychology,” Tooley said, who was in the Media Mirror FIG, which combines psychology and journalism studies.

Tooley was told last year from friends to join a FIG because it would really make her freshmen experience much better and it was a great gateway for socializing and staying on top of grades, although there were times when she felt the structure of the FIG could have been better.

“I really am glad I chose a FIG because at first I didn’t really know what I wanted to study and now I do,” she said. “The only one thing I don’t like about the FIG is that since we only meet once a week and it’s a pass or no pass class, students think that they don’t have to do the work thoroughly.”

FIGs are made up of three courses. Two are regular university lecture courses and one is the FIG seminar is called “College Connections,” which bridges the lectures. Students meet once a week where they discuss the two classes and learn to understand how the two courses are intertwined.

Freshman Jose Meza he was glad to have chosen the Vive La France FIG because he is studying the French language and loves the culture. Initially, he saw no connections between the French legacy course and the humanities course. As the term progressed he was able to make connections.

“I found the FIG to be a very helpful transition because I got help from the FA and my professor and I was able to meet some great friends through the FIG. It really is a neat experience,” Meza said.

The college connections is co-taught by an upper class mentor (FIG assistant) and a faculty member often from one of the lecture classes. The purpose of the FIG assistant and faculty member is to support the shift and facilitate the FIG experience by incorporating social networking among the students and to encourage students to ask for help from their professors, especially if the class is intensely huge.

For junior Jessica Thorson, becoming a FIG assistant taught her a lot about herself as a leader and she was able to reflect that through the connections with the students — not just about herself but about leadership and making connections with students.

“This was my first year as a FIG assistant and I loved it,” Thorson said. “Knowing that students were able to make connections with one another makes me feel very happy that the FIG was able to accomplish that.”

Students have the opportunity to choose from more than 60 FIGs, and each one falls into three categories: non-residential, residential and challenge. The only difference between non-residential and residential FIGs is in non-residential, students may live in any halls or off campus if they choose. In residential FIGs students live in the residential halls near each other and near the FIG assistant. As for the challenge FIG, students get a more distinctive academic experience by having one of the courses at an intermediate level. The courses in the challenge FIG are smaller than the other two FIGs.

Thorson was the FIG assistant for Vive La France course and professor Fabienne Moore helped facilitate the course.

Each year, directors of FIGs look for feedback to improve their programs so next year they can create a more enjoyable experience. Assistant Director of FIGs Amy Hughes Giard takes a close look at the surveys students fills out at the end of fall term.

“We look close at the feedback that we get from students and we’re always looking for ways to improve our program,” Giard said.