Lauren Crews

Lauren Crews is a transfer psychology major from Forsyth, IL

Hometown: Forsyth, IL

Class Of: 2022

Transfer from: Richland Community College

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you pursuing that as a major, or have you taken another path?
When I was younger, I really wanted to be an Air Force pilot. As I’ve gotten older, I chose to follow a path toward a career in the field of psychology.

What is your major (and/or minor) and why did you decide on this course of study?
My major is psychology and I am minoring in sociology. I decided to choose this path because in high school, I found that people around me were hurting from mental illnesses. I started taking psychology classes to better understand these ailments and hopefully help others in my future career.

What has been something you have found pleasantly surprising about your experience at NIU?
Coming to NIU during a pandemic, I didn’t expect to find much community living here on campus. I really thought I was going to be alone, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I have made many wonderful friends and have already made life-long memories I will treasure forever. I’ve really learned what it means to be a proud Huskie!

How have you connected with other students virtually to study for classes, meet new people or form new friendships?
My closest connections are to the people I live with in New Hall, but I’ve slowly started making connections with the people in my classes and with people in other dorms. We try to stay connected on social media or hang out in the student center whenever we can. My PSYCH 305 study group has also been a major blessing through the semester. It’s good to make those connections in classes so you really feel like you have someone to rely on. It’s important to remember we’re not alone in our struggles; we’re all a great big team here!

Are you involved in any student organizations, mentoring programs or extra-curricular activities? If so, which ones? How have they added to your experience as a Huskie?
So far, I haven’t joined any extracurricular activities, but I recently heard that there was an archery club and I am very eager to join as soon as I possibly can. Archery is a huge passion of mine, and I look forward to meeting those who are involved in the sport on campus.

Who has been one of your favorite instructors/professors and why? What course did they teach?
Dr. Christopher Einolf is definitely my favorite professor so far. He was my professor for Military Torture and Police Brutality in the U.S. I found his classes to be really engaging, and he put in a lot of effort to make our online experience as close to traditional learning as he could by putting us into breakout groups to discuss what we’ve learned. He was also a very understanding teacher and made me feel a lot more relieved about having to change from traditional learning to an online course. I was very fortunate to start off my NIU career in his class.

Where is your favorite spot on campus or in the community? Why are you drawn to it?
My favorite spot would have to be the Holmes Student Center. My friends and I go there frequently to hang out. There’s so much to do there, and it’s actually where I finally learned to play pool. During this hard time of social distancing, I think the student center is a great way to interact with your fellow Huskies in a safer environment.

What advice would you give to a student who is applying to colleges?
If you aren’t sure about where you should go for your schooling, check out NIU! I was so nervous to transfer to NIU, between not really knowing DeKalb or anyone here, and then also coming to campus in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a lot to process for sure, but I found that the people here really made me feel welcomed. The staff is wonderful, the fellow students are kind and the campus is beautiful. If you want a place to call home, NIU might be the place for you!

Coming to college, what is something that you have had to learn to do differently?
Coming here, one thing I had to learn to do differently was how to live on my own. I was worried about being alone and not knowing what to do or how to take care of my needs, but the resources on campus are here to help. Finding where to go or what resources you need is as easy as talking to your Community Advisors. They’re here to help, and they’ve made my learning experience significantly easier.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
To relax after doing a lot of coursework, I enjoy drawing or heading to an archery lane to practice shooting. Next semester, I hope I’ll be able to go to some football or hockey games, too.