Book Review: Freshman Year by Sarah Mai

Publisher’s description

A stylish graphic novel about the unique angst, humor, and self-doubt that comes with going away to college—perfect for fans of Heartstopper.

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. 

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. 

Amanda’s thoughts

Okay. I’m really into this book. I liked it a lot. I loved the art. I can’t wait to see more from this author/illustrator. But as a parent about to send my kid off to college in a few months (the opposite direction of the main character here–he will be going from MN to WI and Sarah goes from WI to MN), this created a lot of anxiety for me. Because the story is so real! Mai really captures what that first year of college can feel like. I’m far removed from college but not so far removed that I can’t accurately say that Mai really nails the emotional resonance of this time in a person’s life. Main character Sarah goes through it ALL. The weirdness of leaving home and starting over brand new at this place you sort of arbitrarily picked. The distance and changes that can come as you leave old relationships behind. The new experiences. The sadness. The freedom. The fun. The stress. There is a lot to juggle, both time-wise and emotionally-speaking. Sarah is super honest about it all. From the mundane (buying cream for a yeast infection!) to the remarkable (spur of the notice trip to NY with her besties!), we see it all. A really insightful, authentic, and funny look at all the changes big and small that come with this milestone in growing up.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher

ISBN-13: 9780316401173
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 02/13/2024
Age Range: 14 – 18 Years

Filed under: Book Reviews