As I am near to completing my first year at university, there have been many new experiences, relationships, and lessons. With these, I plan on using what I learned to make my sophomore year even better. One of the major changes one faces with university is courses, mainly in comparison to high school. University classes are very different from the ones we experience in high school. They are a lot more in depth, faster, yet you learn a lot more applications of what you are learning. I am sure that many of us in high school questioned the purpose of learning something. Sometimes, if we asked, we wouldn’t get a clear answer and just be told that it is important. But, when you get to university, you learn about why they are important and how they relate to your future. For example, this semester I took an Organic Chemistry I class. Organic chemistry can be a difficult and scary subject at first glance, but the professor showed us how important and also fun it can be. For example, we learned about how certain experimental techniques work and the basis of them, which I found very interesting and is something not taught in high school. We also learned about how synthesis reactions (performing multiple reactions with the appropriate reagents to yield a desired product) is used in the medical industry. I really appreciated learning these things because it helped keep me motivated and interested when the course got tough. Not only in Organic Chemistry, but one can find that the majority of university courses will show you where you are likely to use what you learn.
In university, you will also get the opportunity to connect and build strong relationships with faculty. This is a chance you do not want to miss, but it can be a little intimidating to do so. I know I felt intimidated to start talking with the professor. So, I started off by going to office hours and asking questions about content we learned about. After some time of consistently asking questions, the professor remembered me and I felt more comfortable to discuss things that may not be directly related to lectures. I would discuss topics I was interested in and get advice on how to get involved in subjects that matched my interests. The main way to make connections that I find to be helpful is to show that you're engaging and excited to be in that class. Professors want to make connections with their students, so don’t be afraid to take the first step in talking to them. It can be as simple as asking questions when you don’t understand something. As long as you are consistent, you can definitely build a strong relationship with faculty.
Continuing on the point of relationship building, you will also meet so many people that are students like you. Like you, they are also experiencing similar changes to which they need to adapt to. As you experience those changes, you may feel a little overwhelmed at times and stuck. One of things that helped me the most was talking to the friends I made through my classes. Sometimes, just having someone to talk to can really help and I am very grateful for having friends that I can talk to and are willing to listen to me. Sometimes, they tell me how they are experiencing the same thing and we talk about how we are adjusting. In terms of making friends, I think that the best way to make these friends is to start by looking at your classes. For example, in my math class, there are around 200 students, making it hard to start a conversation since it is a lecture. During our discussion, the class is much smaller, around 20 students. I sat down at a table with some other students and when we started introducing ourselves to each other, we all came to realize that we were all the same major and all taking the same organic chemistry classes. Soon, I began talking with them and we got friendly very quickly. Although it was coincidental that we were all the same major, it was that initiation to introduce ourselves that helped us find our similarities. If I were to give advice towards making friends, I would try to take the first step of saying hello and starting a conversation. While it may be scary or hard to do so, there are probably other students who want to do the same thing, but are feeling intimidated as well. The best thing you can do is start a conversation instead of sitting in awkward silence. These friendships can help you feel more comfortable, belonging, and sometimes provide comfort in the sense that you know you're not alone in your experiences. Sometimes, it may be difficult to keep up with these friendships. Maybe your friends want to go out but you have a lot of work to do or just can’t due to other commitments. Don’t be afraid to say no because I am sure your friends will understand.
One of the things in university I was least prepared for was the difference in pace between the winter and spring semester. Since the spring semester is slightly shorter than the winter semester, it feels a lot more busy and tiring. Because of this, it is easy to feel overwhelmed or burnt out, especially when you have a lot of determination during the winter semester. If I were to provide advice for this, I would say to really use your winter break wisely. If you know that you are going to take classes that are challenging, try to get the materials beforehand to prepare. At the same time, be sure to take that well deserved rest so you can do your best in the spring semester. During the actual spring semester, try to get a routine that has breaks as well. By managing your time using a calendar and todo list, you can feel more in control and less overwhelmed as you already have a plan for yourself.
Overall my first year at the University of Maryland has been rewarding and I look forward to my sophomore year. Good luck to all the incoming freshmen!