The semester at UMD honestly went a lot like I expected. I expected college to be a lot more lax and easier than high school considering how rigorous high school and strict high school was. However, there were a few expectations which were not met. For example, I expected it to be easy for me to get up for 8 am since in high school I used to get up at 5:45 to go to school every day. I was very wrong and found myself rolling out of bed barely in time to make it to class every time. Getting up became increasingly difficult as the semester went on because of the cold weather forcing me to want to sleep more. Another part of college I did not expect were the curves in classes such as Chem135. Additionally, a lot of homework and quizzes were also dropped in other classes thus making my grades higher than they should be otherwise. I was never accustomed to this and so did not expect it in college. Classes such as CPSG100 and CHEM135 also covered a lot more topics than I expected, and a lot was learned.

In CPSG I did not expect to learn about ways of thinking and key differences in ways we reason and give information. For example, we spent a good bit of time in class discussing the difference between a hypothesis and theory and how to create a proper hypothesis. The level of discussion in class and assignments done were also a lot more helpful than anticipated because of not only the warm environment created by the teachers, but by the students as well. We did however explore everything I was expecting such as climate change, how it affects ecosystems, and extinctions. I honestly thought the outside-of-classroom activities were going to be rather boring and uneventful, however I was proven otherwise. Consider the volunteer day. Yes, it was hot and pulling those plants out of the water was tiring, but the bonding I made with people there and the staff was unforgettable. I have made so many connections through the outside-of-classroom activities it is quite amazing and jaw dropping just to think about. CPSG has proven to be a place not only for connections, but also for learning useful information about our society and its impact on our planet. With CPSG, I also had the privilege of having housing close to the Cambridge Community Center (CCC) which was conveniently the meeting place for CPSG and my ENES102H class.

My high-school vision of college life lines up perfectly with what has happened thus far. I expected to have a lot of free time, especially at night, to socialize, and live the college experience (for me is playing ping pong and going to the gym). The only part of college life which I underestimated was the difficulty of long-distance relationship with my girlfriend. I had heard of the trials of long-distance but thought I could easily overcome them. However, I have been humbled and am still working every day to improve and make the distance easier. I also find myself missing my family a lot more than I would have expected and calls each night and missing out on key moments do make me miss home even more. For example, my sister had a huge track meet, and I was unable to go because I am at college. However, if I was at home, I could have gone and supported her on the sides. In all, the college life has proven difficult in any relationship I have, but the life on campus is what I expected.

With that, I would strongly advise any future SGC students to expect to miss their family a lot, especially if they are a close family. Additionally, to work hard in the beginning of the semester and expect the worst. This is because during the first few weeks after the first test for each class, you can determine how much effort you should put to get a good grade rather than giving your all. Giving your all will burn you out. I also recommend taking breaks every day from doing schoolwork. Don’t just let weekends be your time to relax. Rather than working tirelessly every day, take breaks during those days to go to the gym, play ping pong, go to stamp, socialize, and/or do whatever you want (within reason of course). I would also advise not to pick 8 am classes if possible. It is incredibly difficult to get up unless you have a strict sleep schedule and a lot of discipline. University life is definitely a lot laxer, but don’t let your guard down because one mistake can cost you a lot. Finally, I would advise future SGC students to make the most of the opportunities given through SGC because of the wonderful people and more opportunities that come with it.