I cannot believe that I am already a fourth of the way through my undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland. So much has happened in what seems to be a short, but long amount of time and a lot was learned. Not only did I develop better study habits and perform well academically, but I also learned valuable life lessons. I know that sounds cliche, but I assure you that it is true. In this essay, I intend to share my experiences as a UMD freshman with you. I sincerely hope that you find this to be informative and enjoyable.
A large part of undergraduate academic studies is obviously classes. About halfway through each semester, students will meet with their academic advisor and create a list of classes to take the following semester. As a freshman, classes that satisfy General Education Requirements will occupy a large portion of your schedule. This may seem boring, but this is a great opportunity to take interesting classes outside of your major and perhaps learn something new. One of the more surprising classes, in my opinion, is MUSC 205. This class discusses the history of popular music and the role it has played in the lives of numerous generations. I enjoyed listening to music in class and creating playlists that went along with course content. Additionally, this course is not reserved for music majors, as it satisfies two gen-ed requirements. It is really easy to find classes you like. What I like to do is scroll through the schedule of classes on Testudo and look for classes that are interesting. I then make a list of what classes I want to take and bring them with me to my academic advising appointment and go over them with my academic advisor and select the class.
Developing relationships with faculty as a freshman seems daunting at first, but it is really not that bad; all you have to do is talk with them. This can be done by going to their office hours, talking to them before and/or after class, or simply send them an email. I actually have a pretty good relationship with one of the professors in the AOSC department and I have gotten to know him this well by doing what I said above. The most difficult part is the first time you speak to them and mustering up the courage to do so. Once you have started the conversation, keep it going and it is smooth sailing from there.
Transitioning to campus life is a common sentiment felt by many freshman, myself included. For the first few weeks, I struggled to find good friends and find something to do, which made life boring. However, after the first look fair, I began to branch out, joining clubs like men’s rugby and the UMD chapter of the American Meteorological Society. As I went to meetings and events, I grew closer with other club members and began to feel like I belonged to something. Currently, I play in rugby games against colleges around the country, serve as the secretary of the UMD AMS chapter, and have many friends that I spend time with. There is never a shortage of things to do here at UMD and participating is truly the best way to make friends and enjoy your college years.
Going back to the academic part of college life, there were a few things that I was not prepared for when I started my classes. The biggest one for me was all of the writing I had to do. Throughout high school, writing was always a struggle for me. I would have one paragraph done after fifty minutes when everyone else had half their paper done. I improved over the years, but countless writing assignments that I was assigned helped unveil the remaining issues. I often turned in writing assignments late and had to pull some all nighters to get things done, which was awful. However, the more I wrote, the more I improved and writing is not that big of a problem for me anymore (excluding academic papers that require sources and eight pages of text, I still need some work there). There is nothing incoming freshman can really do to prepare for all of this writing other than developing a good work ethic and caring about their writing performance in high school. Just know that you will eventually get used to all of the writing and it will get better.
Freshman year is, without a doubt, a rough time for people: course work seems overwhelming, making friends is hard, you do not know who or how to talk to faculty, among other challenges. It seems daunting at first, but all you need to do is do stuff. Instead of playing video games and doing homework all day, go outside and join a club or sport where you can make friends. Perhaps the next time your favorite professor, have a conversation with them. Everything you need to make college the best four years of your life is out there, but it is up to you—the freshman—to make the most of it.