As I approach the end of my first semester at UMD, I would like to reflect on my expectations and outcomes of this interesting time period. Surviving as a freshman under any circumstances is already hard enough. Having to mentally prepare yourself to readjust to in-person classes after having to spend your entire senior year of high school on Zoom makes it even harder to do so. Despite me taking several AP courses in high school in preparation, I absolutely knew that there would not be any guarantee that I would excel in the related college-leveled courses I planned to take. I knew that taking 17 credits was not going to be a simple ride (especially because most of my courses were related to STEM). Pushing myself and keeping focus soon became my two main objectives. To be honest, the length of individual class periods was the least of my worries due to them being very similar to the duration of the those during high school. However, I was not too thrilled upon learning that classes in general last for 3 ½ months. At times, it felt as if I was rushed. I was also not very excited about the distribution of work between my professors, especially the ones who assigned a lot of work where the effort was not really represented in the final grade. Exams were also another topic of concern. With only 3 ½ months in the semester as previously mentioned, failing an exam can devastate your grade. I was initially not aware of this. After realizing this, I knew that the margin of error was very slim. Despite this, I do appreciate the time and effort that my professors put in to make sure that classes still went as smoothly as possible. Academic wise, this semester met very few of my expectations.
In Science and Global Change, I initially had no clue about 75% of the topics that we eventually learned about. If I did, I was not very strong in the content matter. This course taught me more about science philosophy, the history of Earth’s changes, and what may happen to Earth in the future. One of my most favorite topics that I liked learning about was how Sagan’s scientific toolbox encourages us to favor simplicity, not complexity, to find solutions. The principles of Parsimony, Consilience, and Proportionality will forever resonate with me. In a scientific world that is constantly being filled with new findings, simplicity will provide a sense of relief to being overwhelmed. One thing that I was expecting at the beginning that has not been covered yet is the relationship between politics and climate change. Specifically, I want to learn more about the history of the relationship between the two controversial topics.
Completing outdoor activities such as Service Day at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and the Metro Scavenger Hunt were interesting. Both activities were rewarding experiences that encouraged me to explore opportunities around campus and the Washington Metropolitan area. I do although wish that it was a bit cooler on Service Day. The sweltering heat quickly tired me as I transported wheelbarrows of hydra to dumping sites.
At the beginning of my senior year, I, like many others, had no idea whether UMD was going to remain online or have its campus open for students to live on. Regardless of what happened, I knew that I was going to have to go through a major adjustment. When UMD announced that they were opening back up, I immediately applied for on-campus housing. Living on campus has its pros and cons. Being able to live independently, make your own decisions, and build new relationships can be exciting. I was really surprised by the dining options available. The various diners scattered across campus served a wide variety of not only meals, but desserts as well. This is what took me off guard. My favorite place to get food from in STAMP Student Union, is Chick-fil-A. Roy Rogers, which had opened in December 2021, had become a favorite of mine. The only major downside to university life is having to wear a mask for extended periods of time. Despite this, the university’s abundant number of clubs, organizations, and activities for students to participate in make up for this.
Some advice that I can give to future SGC students is to make sure that you prioritize all your classes appropriately. Some may need more attention than others at different times. Regardless of what you do, make sure you are on track to prevent yourself from doing things last minute. It'll be tough depending on the number of credits you are attempting but remember that every class matters as you move on to professional endeavors. I would also suggest that you invest in an agenda or some sort of planner. Keeping track of information while navigating through this university can sometimes be overwhelming. In general, the best advice I think I could give is to face your reality and try to make the best out of any situation that you are in.