For Melissa Genovese, one of the biggest adjustments to college is not having a job.

The freshman from West Long Branch, N.J., was the assistant manager of a nail salon while in high school, often working up to 30 hours a week. Most of her weekends and several week nights after school were spent at the salon, where Genovese says she formed close friendships with other staff members. "It was really fun," she says.

Genovese says it was also interesting from a sociological perspective. Clients often shared very personal information and stories with staff during their salon treatments. "It's therapeutic for them," says Genovese, who is studying psychology at Quinnipiac.

She plans to use her degree to pursue a career in the field of marriage counseling and divorce mediation. "I've always enjoyed helping people see two sides and come to an agreement," she explains.

Genovese applied to about 10 schools, but her final decision came down to Quinnipiac and George Mason University in Virginia. "I'm so glad I chose here," she says. She wanted to be close to New York City for summer internship opportunities and she liked that Quinnipiac is closer to her family. Plus, she says, "The campus totally got me."

During her campus tour, Genovese says her tour guide said hello to many students they walked by. "That was really comforting," she says. Her class at Shore Regional High School was a tight group of 180 students, so she knew most people. "I felt the same sense of community here," she says.

Genovese says Quinnipiac already feels like home. She's thinking about rushing a sorority, and she already joined the Rotaract Club, a community-service group involved in a range of volunteer activities such as street cleanups and preparing meals for homeless shelters.

On the weekends, she often goes to movies on campus or takes the shuttle into downtown New Haven. Genovese likes working out at the fitness center, including an afternoon Pilates class, and hiking at Sleeping Giant State Park. "I like taking advantage of it," she says.

Genovese says she's enjoying her classes--especially the QU 101 seminar and a course on non-Western art--and the workload is manageable. She usually completes her assignments in between classes so that she's free to relax in the evenings.

"I've found I'm a lot better with my time management now," she says.