Amy Heinz's "Expectations vs. Reality" Reflection Essay

My first semester at the University of Maryland has been both challenging and rewarding. While some things ended up being similar to what I had expected, there were a lot of unexpected challenges and new adjustments I had to make. My classes, the scholars program, university life, and other activities have presented some unexpected positives and negatives to my first semester at university.

There are some aspects of my classes that I anticipated that are similar to high school, but there are big differences regarding graded items and time management. My courses right now are computer science, communications, introduction to electrical and computer engineering, chemistry for engineers, and, of course, our scholars class. Fortunately, this semester is going well for me and I have adjusted to learning from lectures. However, I know that the courses become more challenging as I progress through my computer engineering classes. I knew going into University that the majority of my courses freshman year would be large lecture halls. However, all the lab and discussion sections, especially for introduction to electrical and computer engineering which is primarily lab based or communications which only has 20 students, are fairly similar to high school classes. Luckily, there is less homework than I expected and homework is worth a very small percentage of my grade. Also, I have not done any worksheets during class that were graded, which was unexpected and different from high school. I also enjoy that I do not have the same class every day and have a lot more free time than I had expected, except for when an exam is coming up. It is definitely a lot more stressful having exams be worth a large percentage of my grade, like my chemistry final is worth about 30 percent.

In CPSG100 we have covered a variety of topics including the fossil record, pseudoscience, the honor code, logical fallacies, science and the scientific method, and human history and climate change. I was surprised that we covered logical fallacies and pseudosciences. I was expecting that we would talk more about current climate change, how it impacts us, and solutions to combat climate change. I did not have many specific expectations for the outside-of-classroom activities, but I enjoyed the trips to D.C. I love visiting the museums and it helped to make navigating the metro a little easier. I am glad that the trip to New York City was offered, although unfortunately I was not able to go this year.

Adjusting to University life has been very challenging as it is so different from all my previous years of school, especially since I live on-campus in Bel Air Hall. In high school, I thought my biggest challenge would just be adjusting to living with my family and pets. However, by picking a state school that my brother also attends and being able to drive myself home to visit family every couple of weeks this was not as big of a problem. I also thought that in college I would have more time to spend with my friends and that has definitely proven true. With more down time and such a close proximity to my friends I have spent a lot more time with friends outside of the in-class setting than I did in high school. Lastly, I knew sharing a room would be a big adjustment for me, but my dorm has started to feel like home even if I still do not love not having my own space.

To ease into college life I would highly recommend getting involved early in a club or organization. Having a community on campus is so helpful as it not only provides support but also provides an opportunity to make friends and have fun. Finding a club that you are passionate about can help you to find like-minded people and form connections. Additionally, do not be afraid to reach out. Whether it is to new friends at the beginning of the semester or to your professors if you need assistance, communication is vital. This helps to build connections socially and academically, which makes the transition to college easier. While there will inevitably be some rough patches throughout the first semester, having a community will help you to work through it.

Regarding non-academic life, joining Alpha Phi Omega, a service fraternity, and other fun activities like intramural sports and going to soccer games have greatly improved my first semester here. I have made a lot of close friends through Alpha Phi Omega and it is a really welcoming community. Service has always been an important part of my life so I wanted to continue that throughout college. Compared to my high school, clubs in college have a greater social aspect and Alpha Phi Omega is a community where everyone is very passionate about service. While there have been many unexpected challenges to adjusting to college life, the people I have met and the experiences I have gained have made it a very fun and fulfilling experience.

Last modified: 06 December 2023