Freshman Year

by Sarah Mai

A stylish graphic novel about the unique angst, humor, and self-doubt universal to the experience of going away to college—from a promising debut talent—for fans of  Heartstopper .


Everyone gets a fresh start. Who do you want to be? 

Sarah is leaving suburban Wisconsin for her freshman year in Minnesota. She has high hopes for the  impress her professors, meet interesting new people, stay close to her best friends and boyfriend back home, flourish as an artist, and shed her lingering high school anxieties. What seems manageable at first quickly unravels into a Sarah’s high-achieving roommate puts her to shame, her summer love dissolves, and she is quickly overwhelmed by the freedom, the isolation, and all the possibilities that await in this new environment.
 
Based on the author’s personal college journal and comics,  Freshman Year  navigates the inner workings of an 18-year-old girl in witty, honest, and heartfelt detail.  This graduation gift pairs perfectly with OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!.   Dr. Seuss's sentimental graduation picture book is beloved, but the one teens really need is Freshman Year.  This graphic novel debut shows the places students actually  do  go—the home goods aisle at Target; lavish libraries; grungy parties off campus; cereal-for-dinner at the dining hall. 

Whether you’re anxiously looking forward or nostalgically looking back, this is the perfect read for anyone who loves realistic graphic novels about the laughable growing pains of almost-adulthood, like  Check, Please!  and  Bloom . 

Genres: Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, New Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published February 13, 2024

Reviews

[hope h. · Rating 2 out of 5]

okay i do feel a little bit bad but the whole time i was reading this i was like "damn the main character is so annoying" and it wasn't until i got to the end that i realized it was semi autobiographical hahhaha WHOOPS. to be fair though the main character is 18 and everyone finds their 18 year old self annoying, right??? sorry ms. mai i'm sure you're lovely i just was not rocking with this one - i guess the whole like well off white girl goes to college and feels insecure about her english major type narratives always kind of ring hollow to me. i'm sure someone would find it really comforting to read, just not my thing

[Cassidy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

Freshman Year by Sarah Mai is a graphic memoir recounting the author/illustrator’s first year as a college student. Mai succeeds in creating a reading experience that mimics the experience of being a college freshman—the breathless pace at which time flies and the empty pit in your stomach that forms with the knowledge that the two places you call “home” are not truly yours.

Just like the unyielding flow of assignments and exams, this story rolls from one challenging situation to the next with little to no break. Freshman Year does not feature chapters or structural sections of any kind. Time is marked in tiny narrative descriptions that indicate months, holidays, and various points in the academic calendar like midterms and finals. This aspect of the narrative—along with the lack of a true plot arc—made the reading experience, honestly, a slow trudge for me. Mai acknowledges this issue in an author’s note at the end and explains that she did not want to manufacture an artificial plot structure for her real, lived experiences.

I definitely enjoyed my time with Mai’s art. Both her visual and written storytelling made me feel things thinking back on my own challenging first year in college. However, I will say that the marketing toward “fans of Heartstopper” is way off base. They are both graphic novels about young people who are struggling—and that’s where the similarities end. Also, the marketing that suggests pairing it with Oh, the Places You’ll Go! as a graduation gift is…worth considering. Just know that this book portrays the harsh reality that freshman year is full of tears and personal crises. While it is ultimately hopeful, the picture it paints is more honest than inspirational.

Thanks to Christy Ottaviano Books and NetGalley for this ARC! Freshman Year by Sarah Mai came out on February 13, 2024 and is available now!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and poignant depiction of the transitional experience that is freshman year of college.

I really appreciated the focus here on low-stakes personal moments and the successful attempt to capture the “normal” college freshman experience rather than some great dramatic happening that doesn’t exist outside of a novel. Both have their place in fiction, but sometimes it’s just nice to read something that eschews great tragedy and drama for the basic but relatable experience of, y’know, eating cereal for dinner in the dining hall and having a minor meltdown over coursework.

This is definitely a very PG depiction of college freshmen. To that end, I’m not sure who the intended audience for this book is. Is it high school students? Unclear. This is an observation rather than a criticism.

I appreciated that the book didn’t lean too much into nerd gatekeeping (a common problem in books like this), and will thus be pretty relatable for most people, and particularly for the academic validation girlies like myself.

The art is fine. There’s nothing objectionable about it, though I would have liked to see more detail in setting and fewer panels dedicated to two characters in dialogue with little to no background detail.

Overall, definitely worth reading if you’re a college nostalgic millennial like me, and probably also worth a look if you’re in high school and looking for a story that is both informative and reassuring about what to expect when you arrive at college.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one felt very authentic and ripped from a college freshman’s diary—including an inconclusive ending. Because, ya know, that’s life? It did a good job at capturing the awkwardness, insecurity, loneliness, and big dreams of heading off to college , especially one far from home. The art was well drawn.

[Tatiana Zhandarmova · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot of ridiculousness that goes in hand with going to a liberal arts university. And let me tell you, this book NAILED it lol. I'm very happy I got the chance to read this :) (Also Ben and Amelie mentioned?????)

[Ash ^•^ · Rating 5 out of 5]

WONDERFUL this was wonderful god i don’t even know what to say as someone in their freshman year of college this is so accurate to my experience seeing her experience all of this and it eb and flow into a year that was good bad but overall not that simple wonderful so good would recommend (gorgeous art as well)

[Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC of Freshman Year!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
👩🏼‍🎓 just graduated from high school
📚 love graphic novels
😰 if you remember how stressful freshman year of college was
🥶 live in the Midwest

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Everyone gets a fresh start. Who do you want to be?  Sarah is leaving suburban Wisconsin for college n Minnesota. She has high hopes for the future: impress her professors, meet interesting new people, stay close to her best friends and boyfriend back home, flourish as an artist, and shed her lingering high school anxieties. What seems manageable at first quickly unravels into a tailspin and she is overwhelmed by the freedom, the isolation, and all the possibilities that await in this new environment. Based on the author’s personal college journal and comics, Freshman Year navigates the inner workings of an 18-year-old girl in witty and heartfelt detail.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was a really interesting graphic novel that brought me a lot of nostalgia. While I didn’t go to a university for the first few years of my college experience, I still felt all of the stress and anxiety that Sarah felt as if I was experiencing it all over again with her. College is a hard thing, especially when you’re away from those you love most. I loved the drawings and all of the dialogue. The ending was a bit abrupt for my liking, but I enjoyed growing with Sarah as she traversed her first year of being an “adult.” I would love to see her other college years, so if this becomes a series, I’d be down for that!

[Christa Seeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think there are some things this graphic novel captures so perfectly about that first year of college/university, when you're trying to figure out who you are and who you want to be now that you're on your own for the first time. But I also think there's a real pacing problem. It feels overly long/verbose and some parts really drag or feel repetitive.

[Jessica]

DNF. I can see why some people would like this book, but it wasn’t for me. I had a very hard time getting through it.

[anna’s fig tree ˙⋆✮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

she’s just like me fr!

[Mary Havens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mai perfectly describes the freshman college experience (at least, for me) in this graphic novel. Especially the confusion on the timelines, how much you have to do to make things work for you, and the imposter syndrome people feel when they are suddenly put in a fish out of water situation. Mai is a classic overthinker (hey! we're twinsies!) and watching her spiral is hard. Thank God she had great friends helping her out.
Her parents seem to have been unable to navigate the college but maybe she didn't include them in the process. But it seems like her mom had a major medical situation (it's never really spelled out) within the recent past so I'm sure a lot of mental and emotional energy was focused on her.
I'm glad we included this in our collection - I hope it's helpful to our students who may be entering a four year university soon. Even though they have some college (or even 2 years of college) under their belt, navigating college on their own is another skill entirely.

[Julesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story 4 stars
Artwork 5 stars
Color N/A
Lettering 5 stars

Overall rating: 4.6 stars

Theme/genre: Coming of age
Setting: College in Wisconsin
Likable characters: Sarah, Ben, Liz

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars because omg i miss riley so bad and this book reminded me a little of us. need some riley time rn (riley is my freshmen year roommate)

[GeekyLiteracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Christy Ottaviano Books for an e-book ARC!

Freshman Year captured that nebulous year of transitioning from high school to college. You're suddenly hit with feeling like an adult but at the same time you're really not and it all moves so fast. The friends you had in high school aren't always the same ones you have in college and it gets harder to maintain friendships the same way you used to. The realest moment that stuck out to me is when Sarah is venting to Liz about feeling like a bad person and thinking she's so far behind her peers in class. That anxiety and insecurity Sarah feels is honest and something a lot of people (especially those just starting college) understand and have felt at some point. The ending was also cathartic for me because Sarah is now nineteen, "this is the last year [she's] a teen," she's not an adult yet, so she doesn't have to have everything figured out. She can just learn and try to enjoy college.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was incredible. Mai knows how to tell a story without reducing it to some tidy narrative. I laughed, I got teary-eyed, and I’ll be forcing people to read it.

[Diana Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average slice-of-life graphic novel that accurately portrays the first year of college life - at least as the author experienced.

[Becky • bookmarked by becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a parent of three college-going kids, I found the book very realistic, especially from my point of view. Sarah Mai not only captures the anxiety that comes with transitioning to college life but also the nervousness that parents may feel when sending their kids out into the world. Questions like "What about a mini-fridge?" or "Have you packed enough pillowcases?" and excessive advice-giving during the car ride to college feels eerily familiar.🙈

I also enjoy how Freshman Years captures snippets in time - the parties, the movie nights, and reconnecting with hometown friends on break. But also fully explores the anxiety of making new friends, picking a major, and finding your place in college. I appreciate how Sarah acknowledges how unequipped she feels in answering, “How’s college?” With all the ups and downs of freshman year, how do we expect 18-year-olds to give an honest answer?

Sarah Mai creates the illustrations for her graphic novel. The illustrations enhance the story, by conveying emotions, adding humor (such as the Minnesota Mom t-shirt - I don't own one "Mom" shirts 😂 from any of the three colleges my kids attend), and offering a realistic depiction of college life. If you're a fan of graphic novels, you should definitely consider adding this one to your collection!

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

3.5
Freshman Year is a very realistic dedication of someone's first year of college, to almost a painful degree. It includes all the good parts of starting college, but all the bad parts as well. I feel like this graphic novel would translate fairly well to a television show. But because it's so realistic, it became a bit boring at times. It's all very straightforward, and never really lingers on any subject or scene before immediately scooting off to the next thing. I'm very mixed on how I feel about the pacing of the story within this graphic novel. I did like the art. But, there was a detail that I noticed popping up almost constantly, to the point that I was noticing it all the time. Why are so many characters drawn with the "Face with Raised Eyebrow" emoji as their expression, with no reason? Like, there seemed to be a very limited set of facial expressions characters could have in any given scene. Again, others probably wouldn't care, but it stuck out like a sore thumb to me.

[Rebekkah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.75, rounded up.

Yet again, another book my girlfriend picked up at the library that I ended up reading, too.

While I didn't have the traditional college experience, based on the stories and experiences of my peers who had a more traditional experience, Freshman Year seems to be a very young portrayal of what college could be like for someone. This graphic novel explores the anxiety university, familial happenings, and relationships can have on someone during their young adulthood - particularly if there seems to be no major external support. The epilogue, where Sarah Mai highlights the lack of resolution, serves as a poignant reminder that no matter what, life just keeps on moving.

As I continue to age and progress through adult milestones, sometimes I wonder if books like this are too young for me... and I'm not even close to my mid-to-late 20s yet. Overall, Freshman Year was a very interesting read, and I would probably recommend this book for someone between the ages of 17-20, entering the first major transition in their life.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, maybe Freshman Year isn't truly a five-star read - there's not much of a plot and there are plenty of loose ends. But I think that's absolutely the point. And as artsy Sarah departs northern Wisconsin for a Big Ten school, I definitely saw my own journey from northern Michigan to Michigan State. So, let's just say there were some interesting parallels, if not for my own life, then at least for others who I went to school with.

The book's narrative follows the title: this is Sarah's freshman year, from the summer before college to the following summer. Friendships change, majors change, interests change. There's some romance (good and bad), some studying, some depression and confusion. Freshman Year is truly all over the place - just like the real thing. By the end, you'll come to love each of the characters, even with their flaws and disappointments (why does everyone keep moving away?!). If Sarah Mai has a Sophomore Year in her, I'd read it in a heartbeat.

[Angelpreet Kaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freshman Year is a graphic memoir that tells the ups and downs of Sarah’s freshman
year, from struggling with homework to getting dumped by her long distance boyfriend.
Eventually, Sarah does find a group of friends and things get a little better, but the narrative
never shies away from the characters’ real thoughts and emotions. College is hard! Freshman
year is especially hard! It’s so important to portray it as such.
I enjoyed the art style. Some panels throughout I think could have used more detail.
But the characters throughout the story were well-developed, both Sarah’s original friend group
and the new one she makes at college. One of the best things I think the author captured in this
book is that feeling of isolation you can sometimes feel when you go to college. Yes, it’s fun and
new and you’re meeting all these people, but you also feel nostalgic for all of the things that
were familiar to you.
This will be great for those teens going off to college next fall.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Sarah Mai's freshman year of college looked very little like my own, it did bring me back to my college days, and made me think about what a turning point that time in your life is. So much changes so quickly, and I think so many of us are so unprepared for what comes next. You're set free into the world for the first time in your life, making important decisions that will affect your future. Everything feels very high stakes, while also putting that pressure on young adults feels very unrealistic.

Mai captures this life transition so well. In the art details (scrolling through social media, googling words used at a party, the little details of the characters interaction), the interactions between characters, and the internal thoughts of Sarah's that are expressed. So much of early adulthood and college is truly "faking it until you make it," thinking everyone else in the world has their act together while you're floundering - where in reality, most people are floundering as well, thinking THEY are the only ones.

I really felt like this story was so relatable, and really brought me back to my 20s. It made me revisit that time in my life through a new lens.

[Tripp]

If not a must-read for every high school senior heading to college, this smart, funny, emotional, and highly autobiographical work by Sarah Mai should be regarded as the perfect way to virtually experience the first year of college before actually experiencing it. Old friends, new friends, break-ups, existential doubts, rigorous exams, dorm life, cafeteria food, and more, Mai has provided a map of the college freshman landscape!

[Maria Almaguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unflinchingly honest graphic memoir about the author/artist's freshman year at Minnesota. The fading of old friendships amid the forming of new, overcoming the fear of pursuing a dream, all with the support of a loving family. Mai's art is moving and realistic, evoking intense emotion, doubt, and sadness that we all experience. Shelved in my library's young adult/teen section, this is also suitable for adults who remember their own life experiences.

[Kathreadsall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Freshman Year, a graphic novel by Sarah Mai!

This is such an authentic and open look at the craziness that is your freshman year of college. We are going through such huge upheavals in life at that age, and this graphic novel captured it all- breakups, parties, classes, finals, part-time jobs, friends, and more.

[Rebecca McPhedran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this graphic novel memoir about a young woman's experience entering college. Her feelings of excitement about entering a new phase, mixed with the feelings of not really changing who you are as a person is so very relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir.

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and thought it did job of capturing all the changes and challenges that come with going to college. Freshman year is definitely difficult to navigate at times and the author did a good job of conveying that the the reader.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Freshman year of college went something like this only much, much, much worse. Great read whether you're about to start college or have been out of college for...oh God, 12 years?! I'm so old. So very very old.

[Victoria Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Telgemeier-esque good but for the older set.
Thank you to Hachette for this advanced reader copy.

[Peaches & Sunshine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immersive representation of the highs and lows of freshman year, the push and pull of that time of ever-changing friendships, and the many identity questions a big life transition raises.



Content Warnings: depression, chronically ill parent.