Unexpected skills the Class of 2026 gained on the Hilltop

Another year on the block plan has begun, bringing with it a fresh class of first-year students. As they adjust to life away from home, they may be focused on what they’re learning in class, but life on the Hilltop offers more than academics alone. Below, 18 members of the Class of 2026 reflect on the surprising things they learned during their time at Cornell.

1. Honestly, learning how to manage my time when everything felt urgent at once. Not just scheduling, but deciding what actually deserved attention, what could wait, and what to drop entirely. It sounds basic, but that skill carries over into work, relationships, and pretty much every stressful situation. ~Jayden Chenoweth, individualized major—social and political science and a minor in economics and business.
Christian Diaz '26

2. I learned how to code and make maps. ~Anna Dewitt, ecology and environmental biology major with an environmental science and sustainability minor.
3. Sewing. ~Christian Diaz, history major with a secondary education certification.
4. How to complete a large-scale project within an incredibly short amount of time. ~Ashley Drake, studio art and English—creative writing double major.
5. How to create a good LinkedIn profile. ~Abby Girman, psychological sciences major and minors in gender and sexuality studies, as well as sociology.
6. Being on the block plan has helped me develop much stronger time management skills. I used to think I was good at managing my time, but when I came to Cornell, I quickly realized that wasn’t actually one of my strengths. Over time, though, I’ve gained valuable experience learning how to balance the fast-paced structure of the block plan while staying involved in extracurricular activities, which has significantly improved my ability to manage my time effectively. ~Aubrey Hendrickson, behavioral neuroscience and kinesiology—exercise science double major.
7. HTML. ~Hannah Kalbrener, English—creative writing major and classical studies minor.
8. Learning voice impressions to make people laugh. ~Carson King, finance major, with a minor in political science.

Smriti Neupane '26
9. That I can do anything in 18 days, literally. Even if those 18 days include two different ER visits. ~Hannah Koenighain, sociology major.
10. I would say learning when to take a break. College can be overwhelming, and it can often feel like your to-do list is never-ending, so learning when you need to rest within a schedule like this is so important and will be important in life after college. ~Alyza Koppes, German studies and kinesiology—exercise science double major.
11. Working on the block plan schedule is a skill I will use for the rest of my life. The pacing at Cornell helped define my work ethic. ~Isabella “Nico” Moore, international relations and Russian studies double major.
12. I learned how to balance the holy trinity of college life: academics/career, social life, and sleep. And yes, balancing can also mean having only two of them at once, and still thriving. ~Smriti Neupane, studio art major and individualized major—digital communication and media/multimedia.
13. Learning how to use different printer settings. ~Cameron Reimers, biochemistry and molecular biology and studio art double major with a minor in chemistry.
Jessica Ziemiecki '26

14. The ability to talk to anyone. ~Ian Schilling, biochemistry and molecular biology major.
15. Working with cancer cells in my capstone and the Cornell Summer Research Institute or working with a cadaver. ~Haley Sevenbergen, biochemistry and molecular biology major.
16. Becoming an independent woman and also how to do laundry. ~Peyton Souhrada, studio art major.
17. Being able to evaluate people’s emotions. ~Malcom Woodson, psychological sciences major.
18. Organizing a lot of items in a small space. ~Jessica Ziemiecki, Bachelor of Special Studies in elementary education, with a minor in psychology.