As a whole, I can say that the University experience has been much different than I expected. Outside of CPSG100, I feel like there was much less filler content compared to high school classes. While this makes sense in hindsight, it kind of did surprise me at how quickly one can learn a lot of new ideas, which I mainly experienced in CMSC131 and IMDM101. The difficulty of my classes are about what I expected, with every exam and project feeling like its own boss fight. Taking much more streamlined classes was certainly something I found to be beneficial and enjoyable, as I’d be able to apply everything I’d learned in a meaningful way. As for CPSG100 itself as our Scholars Colloquium, I’d say that a lot of what was covered was in line with my expectations for the course. Topics related to scientific thinking, as well as climate change, are exactly what you’d expect in a program called Science and Global Change, and the content certainly delivered on this. This semester of SGC has mainly focused on the actual changes that are happening and will happen to the environment, and though I was surprised that not much was covered about how to actually revert these changes in a realistic way, I’m expecting this topic to be covered in future semesters. I was also somewhat surprised by the actual structure of SGC colloquium, as I was expecting much more group work and in-person discussions. Though there were plenty of opportunities to see other people’s perspectives on certain topics during the weekly online discussion assignments, and occasionally during the in-class group assignments, I must admit that I felt slightly disappointed by the lack of conversations between students in CPSG100. This wasn’t too big of a deal for this semester, as most of the topics didn’t necessarily leave a whole lot of room for discussion, but I hope to maybe see more discussion opportunities moving forward. The outside-of-classroom activities for our program were all very enjoyable for me. From the field trip to the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens to the DC Scavenger Hunt to the AMNH Excursion, these opportunities all allowed me to explore museums and/or nature as well as bond with my fellow scholars. These activities felt infinitely more enjoyable than any field trips in grade school, as even though there were graded assignments to go along with each activity, it didn’t really feel like it, and I got to enjoy the moment, taking notes and pictures here and there to help me with said assignments along the way. There was so much freedom and open-endedness during these trips, and I am certainly looking forward to more of these events in the future. They have certainly been a highlight of my time in Scholars. I currently live in Centreville Hall here at UMD, and living in a dorm is not as problematic as many of the horror stories I’ve heard might suggest. I’m very glad to be living on campus and not commuting, as I feel like a lot of opportunities I’ve taken here could’ve very well been missed if I were a commuter. That, and I’ve met and/or know many of the people here in Centreville, which is just a very convenient thing for me. One thing that I’ve noticed for myself is that I tend to be so much more productive on campus than I am at home when working on assignments and studying. Even in my dorm room, I feel like I can get things done faster and more thoroughly than in my room at home, and I can’t pinpoint exactly why this is. I also just feel so bored now when I go home, like there’s not much to do. Perhaps the plethora of plentiful events perpetually occurring on campus has spoiled me, creating a sense of gloom when I go home on certain weekends. And this would be my advice to future students attending UMD, or any other similar institution - go do stuff! It’s so worth it; just try random things and go to random events, be it with or without people you know. You never know what might stick, and I know that I have personally been rewarded by checking things out on campus. Once classes start, and the exams and projects start rolling in, it won’t be as easy to try to fit more things onto your plate, but things will still come up, and I’ve rarely regretted attending any new event on a whim. The way I look at it, you might as well do some side quests instead of just rotting in your room studying your Organic Chemistry textbook for hours on end (though you still should study enough!). The whole college experience has actually been really good for me this semester; I’ve thoroughly enjoyed meeting some new people and making everlasting memories with many. I will say that a lot of my best moments this semester have been with high school friends, but that’s not to say that there aren’t plenty of cool new people here as well that I have begun to form connections with. I cannot stress how massive this campus is, and that you could literally find anything here if you look hard enough. I’m still trying to figure it out for myself, but through trial and error of trying new events, I’m very happy with the direction things are going. The reality of college life is much less daunting than my perception of it was in high school. Most people here, professors and students alike, are just genuinely good people who want to help you, especially the more niche and specific you get. With that being said, there were certainly some academically destructive moments, mainly during the early weeks of classes. The first quiz and exam I took were rough, because of the difficulty jump from high school, but I’ve been able to get used to it slightly. Some of the most unexpected highlights came not from planned clubs or extracurricular activities, but rather from simply wandering around campus and exploring some buildings across campus at night with a friend. These whimsical activities can do a lot to ease the burden of classes and other commitments, so I’d strongly recommend anyone to try something similar!