It’s hard to believe that this year is coming to an end! I have met so many new people, experienced new things, learned a ton, and had numerous failures but also successes. I feel that I have learned a lot about myself and college in general, and I am excited to bring what I have learned into this summer and the next academic year.
The course that came as the greatest surprise to me was ENES100 (Introduction to Engineering Design). Although this course is a requirement for all engineering majors, its structure was unlike any other course I have taken in the past and therefore it came as the biggest surprise to me. Throughout this course, myself and my group of eight people worked together to create a small “Over Terrain Vehicle” (OTV) that had to complete a specific mission. We had to design, construct, and test this vehicle completely from scratch, and although my professor taught us some of the information necessary to complete this project at the beginning of the semester, a lot of the skills required to succeed had to be learned independently or come from prior knowledge. Given that I came into this class with no prior engineering skills, I had to learn how to trust and rely on my teammates, ask for help when needed, and push myself to learn new skills while accepting that I will be out of my comfort zone and may feel underprepared or inexperienced. Luckily, I had a wonderful group and great TAs, so I have had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the hands-on experience. To incoming students, I would recommend that you keep an open mind in your classes and try not to be hard on yourself if you feel less knowledgeable than your peers. Use that as an opportunity to learn!
After coming from a smaller, community-based high school where I found it easy to make relationships with faculty, I had a much more difficult time in college. Because the majority of my classes consisted of large lecture halls, it was impossible for my professors to get to know each student individually, especially if the student does not make an effort to form these relationships outside of class. Thus, I found that going to office hours provided the best way to form meaningful relationships with faculty. I believe I was most successful in forming a relationship with my current Spanish professor, as I often went to her office hours for questions or advice. To incoming students, I would recommend that you find opportunities to speak with their professors one-on-one such as by staying after class to chat or ask questions or by attending office hours.
An aspect of college that I most looked forward to was the opportunity to meet new people. Looking back on this year, I am so grateful for the relationships that I have formed and I believe that my best memories are the ones I made with my friends. My friends helped me cope with the adjustment to college by being my family away from home, supporting me when I feel stressed or down, offering advice to any problems I have, and by being there to share all the highs and lows of college. I believe the greatest obstacle in pursuing these relationships is the fact that I have to be very intentional about forming relationships and spending time with friends. In high school, it was easy to get to know people and to see my friends every day because we often had classes together or would hang out before school, during lunch block, or after school. In college, there are so many new people and everyone is on their own schedule. Thus, I have to put more of an effort into meeting new people, forming relationships, and planning time to see my friends. Although it may take slightly more effort, it is 100% worth it!!! I would advise incoming freshmen to get outside of your comfort zone and introduce yourself to as many people as possible during the first few weeks of school, as everyone is new and looking to make friends. You could go to activities on campus, join clubs, or simply talk with your classmates! Also, it is so important to continue fostering friendships even while you are stressed and busy. Make sure to set aside time to socialize and be with your friends each week, as it will make college a lot more fun, manageable, and balanced.
I believe that I was least prepared for the flexibility of university academic life. In high school, I had a strict schedule of many small, short-term assignments and lower-stake assessments with frequent deadlines. This year, I had fewer large, long-term assignments and major exams that are spread over the course of the semester. Because I had longer periods of time to complete these assignments, I found it very easy to procrastinate. Throughout the year, there were several weeks where I experienced unusually high stress levels and practically lived in the library because I had to finish a project, write a paper, or study for an exam. This stress could have been avoided if I had managed my time more effectively and adequately planned ahead.
As I reach the end of this year, I have improved at my time management techniques and reduced my procrastination. To incoming freshmen, I recommend that you develop an effective organization strategy early in the semester. Although the exact system will vary based on your preferences, I recommend that you input all deadlines outlined in your syllabi into a calendar at the beginning of the semester. I would also recommend that you plan out your weeks ahead of time and write down the tasks you hope to accomplish each day. Additionally, I tend to avoid tasks that feel overwhelming or that I believe will be difficult. To combat this, it has helped me to break down larger tasks into smaller ones and to remind myself that the hardest part is simply starting.
Although this year has definitely had its ups and downs, I am very proud of myself for adapting to this change and for making the most out of my freshman year, and I cannot wait to see what the next few years of college will bring!