Coming into the University of Maryland, I didn’t really expect academics to feel dramatically different from what I was used to. In high school, especially through AP and IB courses, I had already been pushed into a rhythm of heavy coursework, structured exams, and constant pacing. Because of that, I came into freshman year feeling relatively prepared academically. In a way, I assumed college would just be a continuation of what I already knew how to do — just slightly bigger, slightly faster, but not fundamentally different.
That expectation turned out to be mostly true on the academic side. A lot of my courses this year have felt manageable, even familiar in structure. The workload itself hasn’t been the biggest challenge, and in many cases it’s felt like an extension of what I was already used to in high school. If anything, AP and IB really did their job in preparing me for pacing, exams, and independent study. So academically, freshman year has honestly been somewhat of a breeze compared to what I had anticipated. The real adjustment hasn’t been difficulty — it’s been independence, especially with scheduling and organizing my time without external structure.
What I did notice, though, was how differently learning shows up in a university setting. Even if the core content in my classes isn’t entirely new or intimidating, the way support is structured around it feels more open-ended. One of the biggest resources I’ve relied on this year has been TAs. They’re not just there to clarify assignments, but often end up being some of the clearest and most patient teachers you can find. There have been multiple times where a concept that felt routine in lecture became much clearer just from going to office hours or asking a question after class. That’s been one of the subtle surprises of university — not the content itself, but how many different ways there are to actually understand it if you take advantage of them.
Mentorship has also been something I’ve grown into more than I expected. There are structured opportunities like departmental mentoring programs — for example in ECE — but a lot of the more meaningful interactions I’ve had have come from something much simpler: going to office hours. That’s been the main way I’ve built relationships with faculty. Not through a single defining moment, but through repeated, casual interactions where you slowly become a familiar face. I think the biggest obstacle to building those relationships is just not showing up in the first place. It’s easy to assume office hours are only for when you’re stuck, but in reality, they’re one of the easiest entry points into actual mentorship.
Socially, adjusting to university was probably more of a challenge than academics. At the start of each semester, especially your first, you’re constantly surrounded by people who are also trying to find their place, which creates this strange mix of openness and hesitation. For me, as an introverted person, the biggest obstacle was always just initiating conversation. There were so many moments where I could’ve started a conversation or introduced myself but chose not to because it felt awkward or unnecessary.
Looking back, most of the friendships I’ve built didn’t come from anything planned or intentional. They came from repeated, low-pressure interactions that slowly turned into familiarity. I don’t really know when it shifted, but at some point campus stopped feeling like a place full of strangers and started feeling like a place where I actually knew people. I started having people to study with, eat with, or just walk across campus with between classes. For incoming freshmen, I think the most important thing is acting on those small moments early — because they matter more than they seem at the time.
The part of university life I was least prepared for wasn’t the coursework, but managing my own schedule and building structure without being told what to do. In high school, your day is essentially built for you. In college, even if the academics are manageable, you suddenly have to decide how everything fits together on your own.
What helped me most was building a routine that I could actually stick to. My days usually start with something simple — waking up, eating something small, going to the gym — just enough structure to get momentum going. The middle of the day is classes and people, and my afternoons are when I focus on homework, often alongside friends. It’s not rigid, but it gives enough consistency that I don’t feel like I’m constantly resetting every day.
One thing I’ve learned is that freedom in college only really works if you replace structure with something of your own. Otherwise, time just slips. That’s also where accountability helps a lot. Whether it’s a friend or a small group you study with regularly, having someone else in the system makes a noticeable difference.
Looking back, freshman year hasn’t been about struggling academically or being overwhelmed by new material. Instead, it’s been about adjusting to independence, learning how to build structure without being told, and realizing that college is less about constant academic shock and more about learning how to manage what you already know how to do — while slowly figuring out how to live in a completely new environment.