In my first year of college, I can say for sure that the course which came as the greatest surprise to me was my communications class, INAG110. This was a class that I thought I would really dread. General Education classes do not seem fun to me for many reasons and public speaking always feels like a chore. And although I thought all of this, I couldn't have been more wrong. I made sure to pick a professor that had a lot of good reviews and he is my favorite teacher of all time. He made a class that could have been really boring, into something engaging and fun. We even got snacks from his wife at the end of each month. Due to my energetic professor and small class, I improved in my public speaking, all while having fun and enjoying myself. My professors name was Sam Rubin and I highly recommend him for any student. If you are introverted, he will help break you out of your shell, and if you are anything but introverted, then it is already the perfect place for you. There isn't even very much book work and his midterm and final were very easy. To find an experience like this, check reviews for teachers online before selecting them for a course. I have not had the easiest time developing relationships with professors, but I have done a good job with doing this with TA's. The reason I have had a hard time creating relationships with professors is because I am normally in large lecture halls so that automatically creates a barrier. And none of my professors office hours ever work with me. I can attend my TA's office hours, but professors have their office hours at times that I have other classes, which creates a harder time to get to know my instructors. For any incoming students, I would recommend going to your professors office hours and even talking to them shortly after lectures. It is a sure way to get them to notice you and get to know you. Starting college was definitely a big adjustment. I had never been away from home before at a place where I am in charge of myself. It was super intimidating but also exciting. Making friends here is a super great way to deal with the adjustment and have a better time here. I luckily had a few friends from high school come here so I knew people right off the bat. But eventually I started to make friends in several different classes, some of which are in my major which means I will see them for the next few years. With them I can do fun things when I am done my work, and even when I am not done my work, I can work with them and still enjoy myself. The greatest obstacle in perusing these relationships is taking the first step. Once you are friends with someone, it is easier to hang out or talk about things, but to get to that point you need to meet a new person and consistently talk with them. It can be intimidating but there are so many people here that worst case scenario you just know someone a little bit even though you didn't become friends. And the friends you make can help you in classes that are tough. For me I am in a physics course right now (PHYS260) and I have a friend who I do homework and studying with, which makes the work a bit easier. The aspect of university academic life that I was least prepared for was how quickly things go by in college. In all my other years of schooling, I had a class for the entire year. But having classes last a semester means content goes fast. And as an Electrical Engineering major, I have had several hard STEM classes that house too much content for us to learn and practice. I've had to spend many late nights completing work so I do not fall behind. But it should be noted that I am taking a lot of credits as a freshmen, so I can take less in my future semesters. I took 16 credits my first semester and 18 my second semester. But my plan for the rest of the time that I am at UMD is to take 12-14 credit semesters only. (Although this is only possible for me to do to graduate on time because I took so many credits my first two semesters. Choose what works for you.) For any future freshmen, do what is best for you. Try not to overwork yourself too much, but do remember that the more work you do, the more you will get out of this school and the more success that you will find from your hard work. Everyone is different, so just trust yourself and make informed decisions for your personal well-being. Overall, freshman year of college is an experience that I am really glad to have had. It has helped me grow up and mature, while also pushing me towards the career in engineering that I wish for.