It is interesting to see my mindset and perspective in my midyear reflection. I talk about freedom of time management, schedule, and finding research, and while these are things I still have or agree with, I feel as though I have been able to better incorporate and take advantage of these aspects. In particular, my research project has come a long way, as we started implementation and testing this semester. It is my first time writing code for numerical modeling, and I am proud of how it has come out. I have also learned a lot about C++, which was a language I was not super familiar with prior to this project. I think research is something everyone should conduct, regardless of major or field, so I highly encourage new students to cold email and look around online for professors or groups doing work they find interesting. Research also helps build strong relationships with faculty. My post doc is one of the people I talk to most on campus, for both work and personal things. Having a mentor who has been through college and can provide guidance is really a cheat code. And, of course, it helps with LORs. In addition, I have spent more time with my club (TerpWushu, or Chinese styled martial arts). Attending practice more consistently has been a good escape from studying and introduced more routine and stability into my schedule, which I believe are the key to transitioning from high school to college. In high school, there is a very strict schedule you have to follow every day, and in college, there’s almost no set schedule at all: you have to make it. Having events you consistently go to, be it going to a club meeting or writing in a diary can help with having some stability. One aspect of university that I was mentally prepared for was that I wouldn’t have as much time to talk to the friends I had in high school. I was aware I would be in a new place with new people and new things to worry about. But what I wasn’t prepared for was not having time or access to the hobbies I enjoyed in high school. Basketball has been my main sport for 15 years, but I have not been able to play as much. Cooking was also something I did daily in high school, but, without access to a kitchen, I have not had the chance to burn myself in months. I think one thing I can improve on next semester is finding a balance between old things and new things. Another big change I’ve made since last semester is my major. While both engineering and CS are rigorous, engineering has an aspect of community that I really enjoy and appreciate that CS did not have. I have gotten to know many TAs and LTFs that have been able to support me. Hopefully, I can continue improving things next year!