MY FRESHMAN YEAR IS FINALLY OVER!!! I am beyond proud of all the work I accomplished in these past semesters, from building new relationships to completing difficult coursework. Even though the social aspect of college is a very necessary factor for this environment, the academic aspect is what truly defines the college experience. No matter the course I had to complete, I was always content with how the class went until this one general education course I had to take…
This course came as a surprise to me. It was my history class dedicated to riots across different time periods. Even though this course was just counted as a GedEd credit for me, I was really interested in how odd the topic was. My professor, Professor Cooperman, was very passionate about riots. I haven’t seen anyone care so much about how destruction and calamity can greatly benefit how a simple town or an entire country reforms itself, ever, but one thing that college will teach you is that everyone has a passion. Each professor teaching their course is committed to what they teach, and as a college student, I found that this passion motivated my curiosity about the subject. Because Professor Cooperman was so enthusiastic and willing to answer questions without judgment, this allowed me to feel comfortable in the learning environment that he built for this class. Overall, when approaching classes and even faculty, saying open-minded and interested in what they have to say about their subjects will make it an easier learning experience.
Now, when it comes to pursuing a strong relationship with faculty, not just professors, it is very important to put yourself out there and make conversation with them. Constant communication is key when it comes to fostering relationships with faculty. My most notable experience with making connections with faculty comes from my becoming a scholar's ambassador and a peer mentor for my scholars program. With these opportunities, I have to consistently talk to staff members like Ben Beltran and Kenisha Rhone, who are the Assistant Directors for College Park Scholars, and Ashley Ogwo, who is the coordinator for student engagement for College Park Scholars. The relationships I formed with these faculty members have been such a pleasure; they helped me with different ambassador activities like student panels, dorm tours, tabling at open houses, and just collaborating with them has aided me in developing necessary social skills, from teamwork to being able to depend on them for different projects that I can’t complete on my own.
Moving on from coursework and faculty interactions, the funniest part of my freshman year was meeting new people and fostering friendships that I am confident will last my whole college career. Getting out of my comfort zone, socializing, and keeping in touch with my peers is the overall hard part of forming peer relationships. I would always overthink about how different I am from others, so I at first found it hard to put myself out there and interact with them without feeling intimidated or embarrassed, but going to events hosted by the student entertainment events and clubs meetings like rock climbing and badminton club, allowed me to find people with similar interests as me. Once I made friends, they were able to be my rock throughout my freshman semester. My friends and I didn’t just have fun, but we were able to hold each other accountable to focus on our academics, and people like that are what ultimately help you go through the college experience smoothly.
Overall, preparing for the emotional toll that college can be isn’t possible. I thought it would be, but because everyone on campus comes from such different walks of life, it can be harder to make relationships and interact with anybody, for that matter, but by being myself, I was able to feel comfortable in engaging with others. All in all, being you is what’ll get you far, so by being sure in yourself and what you invest in, you are sure to stay scholarly as a college park scholar! Last modified: 08 May 2026