The transition from high school to college can be daunting, but some Wareham students are getting help from the experts.

Any Wareham seniors who were curious or concerned about taking that next step recently had the opportunity to hear from former Vikings about all the possibilities and pitfalls associated with college life.

Twenty Wareham alumni, ranging from college freshmen to seniors, spoke to a crowd of about 50 current seniors in the high school auditorium on Jan. 6.

“Freedom and privacy are the best things [about college],” said Mason Vasconcellos, a freshman at Bridgewater State University.

Many of the alumni agreed with Vasconcellos, talking about how being at college allowed you to try new things, meet new people and learn more about yourself. The newfound freedom should also be respected though, as one of the most common words of advice from the alumni was “Don’t procrastinate.”

Many alumni spoke about the importance of “putting yourself out there” socially when talking about the biggest challenges of college life. Making new friends, learning new ways to study and managing living with others in a dormitory were some of the other issues alumni faced when arriving at college.

When asked what classes or programs at Wareham helped them in their college careers, many alumni cited DECA, the business and marketing club, as having a major positive influence on their academics. The students said the club helped them with public speaking and creating presentations among other things.

“It made me not afraid to voice my opinion,” said Angel Rodriguez, a senior math and physics major at North Park University in Chicago.

Other alumni agreed with Vasconcellos when he said how Wareham High helped him with his transition to college.

“The motivation from this school, the people pushing us, we have a lot to be thankful for,” he said.