In just a single semester at the University of Maryland, I have experienced things out of my comfort zone, found people that I look forward to spending hours talking to, and discovered more about myself including new interests! College has been quite different compared to what I thought it would be when I was still in high school beyond academically.
Classes were about as difficult as I expected them to be, however some were quite enjoyable, especially Chemistry for Engineers and even Communications. In one 50-minute lecture, I learn and apply material that would have taken days or even weeks to be taught in high school. Although the pace may seem overwhelming or rushed, I am far more motivated than I was in high school to continue practicing and learning the concepts outside of class. The structures of certain classes differ from professor to professor, but among all my lectures, I appreciate the freedom of taking notes in whatever form I prefer and the accessibility to recorded lectures and summary notes. I have had to adjust to assignments being graded on accuracy rather than completion, but I feel like it has pushed me to be a better student.
The material in scholars has been surprising to say the least, but I have enjoyed each lecture even if some topics may seem more technical than others. I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture regarding pseudoscience as it relates to some of the niche internet subcultures that I participate in despite knowing its fiction such as cryptids and the legitimacy of personality tests. Initially, I thought SGC would address more modern-day global activism, but I found learning the environmental trends in human history and the millennia beforehand to be fascinating and beneficial to my overall understanding of the Earth's history. The outside-of-classroom activities taught me more than just topics addressed during colloquium but some important life skills, such as how to use the metro and navigating a “big city.”
In high school I daydreamed about decorating my dorm room and meeting new people that I hadn't known since elementary school but beyond that college seemed terrifying. College was a fresh start…”I was finally on my own” or “being an adult for the first time” as the people around me in Calvert County would say. I thought I would have the same types of struggles as I did in high school, however it has been quite the opposite. High school was as drama-filled as you would expect particularly due to having a year of it spent online, but despite that I still excelled academically especially with the approaching pressure of college application season and wanting to be accepted to my “dream school.” Although, I was not accepted into my Early Decision university, I would adamantly say it was one of the best things to happen to me. I would not have met some of the wonderful people I know now along with an immense self-induced pressure that I would not be able to live up to, likely ruining the experience of being a college student.
If someone had told me that a year ago that I would look forward to meeting new people and trying out new activities with no prior experience I would believe they were talking about a different person. Even though I do take advantage of time on my own to recover from social events and participate in self-care, I am far more likely to go out and experience a new hobby or sport than I would have a few years ago. Another one of my favorite parts of living on campus even if it may seem childish is the non-reliance on cars and rather the emphasis on public transportation or my own two legs to get to all my classes or dining halls (even with the electric scooters that threaten to run me over every time I walk outside).
Some advice I would give to future SGC students that I wish I heard myself, even if I would not have believed it, would be that receiving a poor grade on an assignment or exam is not the end of the world. I understand having high almost unachievable expectations for yourself, but it'll be okay to struggle in college, college is difficult. Sometimes it may feel like you spent days studying the material just for you to receive a lacking score that is double digits below the average; allowing yourself a good cry does help but afterwards pick yourself up and make a game plan. Reach out to a tutor, contact a professor, or talk to your fellow classmates. Even if your grade doesn't improve, you'll know that you tried your best and that Freshman forgiveness will have you covered, everyone you know is transitioning into the new environment as well. You are allowed to have an off day, we're all human, and it'll be okay.
Befriending people is not as scary as it seems, especially if you put in the effort to maintain the friendship such as grabbing lunch or studying together outside of class. Friends can be made in what may seem like quite coincidental scenarios from the person who sat next to you on the first day of class to the person who you played one round of badminton with. Both of those examples are how I met two of my closest friends I have now that I look forward to spending more time with next semester and onwards.