Before I answer any of the questions posed for this assignment, I wanted to reflect on my general time in school so far and some things I would tell the incoming students. I have had a great time this year, but it hasn’t always been that way. A few months into the first semester, I was really lost. I feel like I didn’t have a great circle of close friends around me and it was quite lonely, to be honest. Scholars had some part to play in this, I suppose, but it’s certainly not anything to do with the quality of the program, etc. I remember I was pitched a vision of a living learning program where I would get to bond with the people on my floor, and those floormates would become my closest friends. And while this is certainly not just fantasy, it didn’t end up being the case for me. No matter what the situation is, whether you’re feeling lost academically, socially, or emotionally, always remember that this campus is full of more than 40,000 people, and among those 40,000, there will always be someone who is willing to help and people who will make you feel comfortable. Building relationships and finding your place takes time. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t go your way immediately. And finally, devote your time to your passions. There’s so much to do on this campus, so many clubs and orgs to join and be involved in. But also, don’t remember to take care of yourself. Try as best you can to get a good amount of sleep and to take care of your health and body. If you’re responsible with your time and work to remain as healthy as possible (as simple as making sure to get enough sleep and drink a lot of water when starting to feel under the weather), your college experience will be a lot fuller and include a lot less of those miserable periods of tiredness and exhaustion.
Similarly to what I said about there being plenty of organizations to be involved in, enough to match any person’s interests, the same applies for courses. There will always be courses and teachers that stand out and are excellent. Go seek those courses out. For example, I took INAG110 to fill my oral communication degree requirement, so my expectations for that course were not high at all. However, my teacher, Sam Rubin, made the course extremely productive while also enjoyable. He would make the content as entertaining as possible while fostering a unique and tight-knit classroom environment (something that is rare in college). And beyond that, I could tangibly see my public speaking skills increase, and was able to apply my experience when running for an executive board position of the club I’m a part of. Go seek out classes like that. Use online resources that are available to you to read up on what might interest you and the professors that might provide you with the best experience. There are definitely people who have thought about those things before.
Creating relationships with faculty is hard. There are plenty of faculty who are willing and eager to meet and interact with students, and plenty who aren’t. I know I’ve always received advice to attend office hours, but I always felt like I never knew what I would go in for, especially if I had already grasped or studied the class material myself. My one office hours experience with a professor, though, turned out to be overwhelmingly positive. I pointed out a weird edge case for one of my coding projects, and the conversation and bond formed from that brief series of meetings later turned into that professor writing a recommendation for me. While it might be hard, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and take advantage of opportunities to connect with faculty when they arise. Find out what else they do outside of just teaching classes, and if that’s something that excites you, go find out more or ask them about it. Rejection is a lot better than never asking in the first place.
As I mentioned in my first paragraph, forming bonds with other freshmen can be hard, and it takes a lot of time and effort. Sometimes, things won’t form right away. One of the largest obstacles is just being able to put yourself out there socially because it takes time to find the people that you relate to and connect with. But once you do find those people, the people that you can rely on and connect with on a deeper level, many things become easier. From being able to spill to each other about whatever's on your mind (academic or not) or asking for help with schoolwork, the connections you form with classmates and peers go a long, long way. Having people to talk to and open up to makes the whole experience so much more digestible. To the incoming freshmen, I’ll say this. Open up to people. Don’t be afraid to reach out or say hi. Especially the first few weeks, everyone’s in the same boat, trying to meet new people and form new bonds. And once you do form those connections, learn from the people around you. There will be people from all walks of life, and being able to hear and take from their experiences is extremely valuable.
The aspect of university life that I was least prepared for was finding time to do chores and take care of myself. I am someone that doesn’t spend a lot of time in my room, so it made it difficult to allot time for things that I needed to do. The largest example of that is laundry. It’s very easy to neglect laundry (especially when your building has very few washers and dryers that often aren’t the most effective). Making time to consistently do that or tidy up your room every once in a while is something that I feel like is easy to take for granted when you live at home with parents and family. It’s very easy to overlook that in college. Same with eating and sleeping habits. It’s very easy for those to go out the window once you get busy. Plan ahead, as best you can, try to minimize your stress and the toll that it takes on your life, because it will get taxing. I think the best way to combat all of this is to be mindful. Realize that these things are necessary to leading a good and healthy life. The quicker you accept that into your routine, the easier it will be to lead a responsible and productive lifestyle in college. That doesn’t mean it’s not ok to stay up late in McKeldin Library when you get busy, but it also means that being conscious about the amount of sleep or food you’re getting every day is a MUST when it comes to being able to get a sufficient amount of rest and energy each day.
I hope that all of this was insightful into the college lifestyle and some of my personal experiences and struggles. To any incoming college students, I hope that you take some of these things to heart, and I wish you all the best in college! It truly can be the best time of your life.