It feels like just yesterday I was saying goodbye to my parents as I embarked on this journey of self-discovery. There have been many ups and downs this semester. College has been an adjustment period; however, I have learned more about myself and my capabilities than I thought possible.
College classes are structured differently than I expected. I assumed there would be a lot more physical "homework". The majority of my "homework", however, has been studying for exams. My grades for most of my classes are solely dependent on exams. Each exam accounts for about 25% of my grade in all of my courses. The material on the exams is thoroughly covered during lectures. I feared that because of the large class sizes I would not be able to learn the material or create personalized connections with my professors. Thankfully, that has not been the case. Professors are willing to provide materials to ensure individual success. You are responsible for your own success, but if you are willing to put the effort in, success is entirely possible.
CPSG has been a great experience. I did not expect to learn about pseudoscience but it has been very interesting. I realized that I had been engaging in many pseudoscientific beliefs myself. The lectures on pseudoscience encouraged me to take a step back and reconsider my way of thinking. We have not touched on climate change as much as I thought we would. Climate change is tied to almost everything we learn in class but I am excited to learn more about it. The outside-of-classroom activities are my favorite part of SGC. I expected the out-of-classroom activities to feel very forced, however, they have helped me to make many friends. They are a great way to participate in hands-on learning and bond with your peers.
I live in Centreville Hall. My high school vision of college life was definitely glorified. I thought I would be best friends with everyone on my floor, my dorm would be huge, and having air conditioning would mean it would never get hot. Sadly none of these things manifested into reality. Living with people who are also in CPSG is great. You all have your scholars program in common which makes it easier to bond with the people on your floor. I also didn't envision myself going to bed so late. In high school, I always went to bed around 9:30-10 pm. Now, because of the increased workload, I don't go to bed until close to midnight. High school teachers made college sound awful a lot of the time. It takes a couple of weeks to adjust but once adjusted, there is a new sense of independence that is amazing. Your life is placed into your own hands, the way you mold that life is completely dependent on you. It can sound scary, however, it is very freeing.
If I had to give any advice to an incoming SGC student it would be to give things time. You are not going to meet your best friends on the first day. It will take time to learn what way of studying works best for you. Not everything happens immediately or perfectly but it will happen. Being a member of SGC provides you with an opportunity to advance academically and socially. Use that opportunity to your advantage.