A freshman is a student in their first year at a school, most commonly high school or college. When you start ninth grade, you become a high school freshman. When you begin your first year at a university, you're a college freshman.

The word carries a sense of newness and inexperience. Freshmen are still learning how things work: where the classrooms are, what teachers expect, how to manage harder coursework. In high school, freshmen might feel small compared to seniors. In college, freshmen are adjusting to living away from home, choosing their own schedules, and taking responsibility for their own success.

Despite the “-man” ending, the word applies to all students regardless of gender. Some people prefer alternatives like “first-year student,” but freshman remains a very common term. After freshman year comes sophomore year (second), then junior year (third), and finally senior year (fourth).

Being a freshman means starting fresh in an unfamiliar place. Everyone feels a little lost at first, but that inexperience doesn't last long. Within months, former freshmen are helping the next group of nervous new students find their way.