My second semester at UMD has been a lot in terms of workload, to put it mildly. Many of the courses I took involved new mechanics and skills that I had to build along the way. Of the classes I took this Spring, CMSC216 stood out as one of the most challenging but rewarding courses. Learning a programming language that I was completely unfamiliar with was fun and exciting. However, my overall enjoyment of the class decreased from the punishing exams. Granted, the content of projects helped a lot overall with the exam content, but balancing priorities between working on the project vs. studying for the exam was a little challenging, especially when the projects were released too close to the exam date. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the challenge of the coding projects, especially one that took a glimpse at assembly. I enjoyed seeing the inner workings of a programming language and finding out how arguments and local/global variables translated into MIPS. However, I didn't exactly "discover" this course because it's a requirement for the major. One class that turned out to be a pleasant discovery was ARTH201 in my Fall 2020 semester. I came into the class not knowing what to expect, and lectures turned out to be very enjoyable, containing engaging topics like the origin of many historical painting themes and styles. In general, my advice for experiencing similar surprises would be to follow what interests you personally and only rely on other people's suggestions if you don't have any ideas of your own. Find classes out for yourself and make your own unique experience. Don't just go by what other people say is easy, because everyone has their definition of what is easy for them. I haven't gotten the chance to interact as much with faculty members. This unfortunate reality was due to COVID-19 and the fact that all my classes are online. However, I try my best to keep in contact through email if I have any pressing concerns about the class content. Overall though, I tend to stay in my bubble. I hope things can change with the addition of in-person classes, and I'll find it comfortable to reach out more. I'll also attempt to attend office hours more often, although I have the irrational fear of bothering the teacher with "annoying" questions, even when most of the time they're happy to help. Generally what's important is recognizing when you need help and using your connections with the faculty to find that help. My relationships with peers at UMD, and the messaging platforms that facilitate these exchanges, have helped in coping with the awfulness that is Zoom university. Even though we can't physically meet and interact, talking with other people helps a lot with mental health. Not having any social interaction plus being stuck inside all day would drive me insane. These platforms provide not only a way to vent but also a way to get help. You can easily use it to clarify something you're confused about and develop connections with people in the class. Study groups are a great way to interact more with classmates. Not only do they help a ton with exam preparation, but they also reduce the stress of studying and allow you to have some fun with the whole ordeal. Being in person might be even better because we'll be able to talk face to face in addition to having the same advantages of online communication. The aspect of university academic life I was the least prepared for was the emphasis on time management. Namely, I was unprepared for how the workload would affect my sleep schedule. My time at high school made me believe I would always naturally be able to wake up at 6 am or somewhere close enough, regardless of how late I slept the day before or how terrible I felt. I mostly took that ability for granted. Now, with the perceived lack of urgency to attend classes added to the lack of a physical location to go for my classes, I let myself grow complacent. I don't have to explain why this complacency was a terrible idea with the increased difficulty of the Spring 2021 semester. I can, however, learn from this mistake by fixing my sleep schedule and not picking classes that force me to wake up at hours I am no longer capable of waking up for, especially since next semester will have in-person classes. As the content of each semester gets more challenging, keeping a healthy sleep cycle becomes crucial for success. Click Here to go Back to Home