Political Science students share their best advice to incoming students
September 1, 2026 - Karessa Weir
Two panels of five Political Science students, together with their academic advisors, shared their top tips on everything from how to make friends and what clubs to join to how hard it is to handle a double major (spoiler: it’s not much more than a single major!).
As part of the College of Social Science Fall Colloquium, PLS students Lowell Monis, Emma Pinson, Noelle Wharf, Savannah Seeling and Isabella Wierzbicki faced a classroom packed full with incoming students interested in Political Science.
“Don’t hold yourself back,” Monis, a World Politics and Data Science major told the students. “The best way to make friends is to go to clubs and find people with common interests.”
Wierzbicki advised students to put themselves out there and talk to people in the seats next to them in classes. It helps to know everyone is feeling the same.
“Everybody is feeling a little bit homesick and nervous but jut talk to the person next to you,” she said.
Pinson, a Political Science Pre-Law senior, recommended joining Political Science Scholars and Social Science Scholars program to gain small cohorts and access to programs such as Undergraduate Program Assistants program and overseas study.
Other groups included the Pre-Law Society, Empowering Women in Law, MSU Middle Ground, the new MSU Political Union and Model UN.
For Seeling, the biggest difference between high school and college was how free she felt to pick her own classes and not be limited by a set daily curriculum.
“You can pick any classes without constraint,” she said.
The downside is that you are the one responsible for setting your schedule, and making sure you have enough time to attend class, study and be social, Wharf said.
“You have your own agency but you have to be sure not to overbook and not to under-book at the same time,” she said. “You will figure it out.”
Many of the incoming students questioned the older students about how difficult it is to major in Political Science and another major. The students, as well as academic advisor Dan Thaler, assured them that it is common and possible to graduate with two majors in four years.
For specific questions on academic requirements and opportunities, contact one of the three PLS Advisors Krista Zeig, Thaler and Julia Zemmol.
More resources and tips are available as part of the College of Social Science Welcome Kit available at https://socialscience.msu.edu/academics/undergraduate/welcome-kit